The Return
by invalid-reality
Summary: Second in the Chronicles of the Chosen Two series: Faith's wish takes them back to Sunnydale and no one is prepared for what's about to happen next...
1. Prologue

_**Author's Notes: This is the sequel to The Reckoning so it's probably better if you went and read that before reading this :)**_

* * *

**Prologue**

Faith stood on the castle's roof and looked over the grounds as the full moon illuminated everything. It had been two days since they fought against the Neqa'el, closed the portal, and found out that Percy Chapman was the reason all of it had happened in the first place. Faith wanted to hunt him down, but not to kill him, maybe just to hurt him a little before they sent him to the Council to properly be punished for betrayal and wrongful use of magic-as Giles had put it during the meeting they had that morning.

Buffy had been acting rather distant since Willow came crashing through the roof. They hadn't gotten a moment alone in the last two days and it was driving her completely crazy. The few kisses, even the chaste ones, had left her hot and bothered and she had no doubt in her mind Buffy was feeling the tension building up inside of her too. The entire castle had been trying to research how a wish of that magnitude could come true and so far, from what Faith knew, they determined that Danu and the magic she had tapped into, was far more advanced than anything there in the mortal plane.

"Hey," Buffy said as she walked up behind her from the stairwell door. "What are you doing out here, Faith?"

"Just thinkin', B."

"Can you believe it really came true? It still doesn't feel real."

"It's 'cause we're here and not in Sunnyhell. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking wishin' for it to come back," Faith chuckled and she watched as it took Buffy a moment to realize she was joking around. "It'll feel real once we get there," she said and she wrapped her arms around Buffy from behind. "Why won't you call her?"

"I-I can't," Buffy stammered. "I still don't want to believe it. Am I crazy, Faith? Am I crazy for spending the last two days driving myself insane over this internal debate whether I'm crazy or not for not calling my mother yet?"

Faith shook her head no as Buffy turned in her arms. She smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips, both sighing as Buffy relaxed in the embrace. "That was a lot of crazy's in one breath there, B, so yeah, I think you are little nuts," she laughed and squirmed when Buffy pinched her sides.

"I just don't want to think about it anymore tonight," she sighed and laid her head on Faith's shoulder. "I can't believe Giles sent Kennedy with Wood, Vi, and Rona to Cleveland. _We_ were supposed to go, not Kennedy."

"She ain't a baby slayer anymore. She's all grown up. Besides, it's good for her. She isn't taking the breakup with Willow too well right now. The girls are gonna need a leader here once we head back to Sunnydale, B, and you know she's the right one to take on that role."

"I know."

"Did Willow say when she's gonna teleport us?"

"Tomorrow," Buffy replied and she looked up at Faith, pouting slightly. "What if everything changes once we're there, Faith?"

"What do you mean? Changes between us? Ain't gonna happen, babe. Told you already, I ain't going anywhere. Pretty soon, you'll be so sick of me clinging all over ya you'll be telling me to fuck off already."

"Not just changes with us and what we have now," Buffy said softly and she shook her head slightly. Faith could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "Everything is going to change now that my mom is back. I don't-I'm not sure how I'm gonna deal with this."

"You'll deal, B. You always do."

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'll do what I always do and just go with it, see where it takes me," she shrugged. She hadn't thought much of it since learning that Sunnydale was back along with the First. "Been through this a few times. We're becoming pro's at this apocalypse deal. At least you are."

"Wasn't your wish for me to have a normal life? This is _so_ not looking promising here."

"Hate to say it but what if this _is_ your normal, B?"

Then it hit her, something she'd been missing for awhile now. Buffy's own wish was for a life back in Sunnydale and the life that came with it. _That_ was her normal life, not being in Scotland with about a hundred slayers coming and going, living in the castle, training, and everything else that came with being Head Slayer. She could tell Buffy was thinking about the same thing and was trying to figure it all out for herself.

The one thing that kept slipping back into her mind, no matter how hard she was trying to block out all her thoughts, was the question of did she make a mistake with this wish. There were always consequences to deal with when making a decision, any decision, and she knew that now. She had a lot of time to think and learn to listen to that inner voice that always tried to tell her when she was wrong before. That only meant that wishes had consequences probably as big, if not bigger than any life decision she'd ever made before.

Faith let go of her and Buffy reached for her hand. She wordlessly led her over to the stairwell door and headed inside and straight for her room. Faith wasn't going to protest the fact that Buffy hadn't let her sleep in her own bed for the last few nights. She only hoped that tonight they'd do more than just sleep. She felt like all the sexual tension was building up inside of her, nearing the breaking point, and she wasn't sure just how much longer she could hold out before completely ravishing Buffy no matter who was around or where they were.

Yet she had a feeling nothing would happen between them tonight. Buffy was feeling the nerves of going back to Sunnydale and seeing her mother again. Everyone was feeling it and Faith had to admit she was feeling a bit nervous too. They had no idea what could possibly be waiting for them once they arrived in Sunnydale. Faith was sure of one thing though, she'd stick by Buffy's side no matter what laid ahead.

She had a feeling they were going to be in for quite a ride once they did get to Sunnydale and as scared as she didn't want to admit she was, she was also anxious to see just what was out there waiting for them.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Faith stood off to the side in the control room as the others listened to Willow lay out the plan she had to send each of them to Sunnydale. There wasn't much of a plan from what Faith overheard. They were to wait and then meet up at the Summers' house and go from there. Nobody wanted to be the first one to go and Faith had offered to be the first one after listening to Buffy, Xander, and Dawn bicker like children about it for nearly ten minutes.

"Before we go," Faith said as she joined the others. "What do we know about the First?"

"Our knowledge is rather limited just as it was the last time," Giles said and he shook his head. "We'll meet up in Sunnydale and try to find out what we can once we are there. I've put in a few phone calls to a handful of contacts in Sunnydale, but I haven't heard from any of them yet. I'm hoping to pay a personal visit to a friend of mine once I arrive there. He should have some very useful information for us regarding the First."

"Is this guy gonna turn out like Percy?" Faith asked him. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow as Giles fumbled with his glasses, unable to give her an answer. "After you brought Tweed in and he betrayed us, I'm finding it impossible to trust any of these guys in the new Council, Giles."

"No, he is nothing like Percy and I understand your concerns about the new Council, but I assure you, Percy is the only one who has turned his back and betrayed us. He will be dealt with, I assure you, but right now we need to stay more focused on getting back to Sunnydale."

Faith cracked her knuckles loudly, hating walking in almost blind. She needed a plan, something solid and something she never used to do since she'd always used to be more about the "kill now, ask questions later" part.

Buffy moved to stand next to her and she smiled when Buffy's hand easily slipped into her own. The last couple of days had been different between them and it was just the smallest things too. It was the way they always found a way to be near each other, touch each other even if it was as simple as holding hands. She knew the others had noticed it too, but she really did not give a fuck, and it was pretty clear Buffy didn't either. While the others started further discussing plans on what to do once they'd gotten to Sunnydale, Faith pulled Buffy aside.

"Are ya getting the feeling we're not gonna quite get to be alone for a while?" Faith asked quietly as she stared down into Buffy's eyes. Buffy nodded and leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss. "You're worried about what's gonna happened between us once we're back in Sunnydale, aren't you?"

"I don't know what's going to happen, Faith."

"Here's what's gonna happen, B," she said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Buffy and held her close. "We're gonna go back to the 'Dale and we're gonna figure out what's the what. Then, you and me, we're gonna find a way to have a night all to ourselves."

"Sounds good," Buffy grinned as she ran her fingers over the back of Faith's neck. "Do you really think we'll be okay?"

"We'll be okay," Faith said softly, wondering why Buffy was so afraid something would happen that would pull them apart. "We've been friends for a while, right? I know we haven't been together too long and I'm not exactly an expert on relationships, but we'll make it work no matter what happens there."

Buffy smiled sweetly and pulled her in for a long, passionate kiss. A kiss that made every inch of her body tingle until Buffy pulled back at the sound of Dawn making gagging noises at them. Faith flipped her off and kissed Buffy again, keeping it short and sweet. Buffy moaned softly when she pulled back and she ran her thumb over Buffy's bottom lip, wiping away the smudge of lipstick that was there.

"That's all they've been doing for two days!" Dawn complained as Willow tried to lead her to the other side of the control room with the others. "God, don't they realize there are other people around when they do that?"

"Dawnie, they're in love. Leave them alone," Willow said calmly and she looked back at Buffy and Faith, smiling at them and pointed to her watch, indicating that it was almost time to go back to Sunnydale.

"She's such a brat," Buffy muttered under her breath. She stared into Faith's eyes and pouted.

"What?"

"We've gotta go."

"Yeah," Faith sighed and she looked over at the others standing by the monitors. "Guess I'll see you on the other side, B."

Buffy stepped back and walked over to where she'd left the scythe. They were bringing it along with them, finding it far too risky to be left behind. Faith looked back at Buffy as she joined Willow in the circle she'd formed on the floor and what Andrew had called the "portal to Sunnydale". Xander handed her the bag she'd packed and she made sure the sword and dagger that Buffy had bought for her was safely secured to the bag.

"So, guess I'll see you guys in Sunnyhell," she said with a smirk as she slipped the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Willow? Where are you sending me? Got an exact location or what?"

"I'm going to try to place you just outside the Summers' house, but with the distance...it'll be a little tricky. The worst that can happen is you'll end up just outside of Sunnydale. Hopefully not too far."

"Great. Let's do it."

Faith looked over at Buffy and smiled at her, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. She gripped onto her bag and braced herself as Willow held her hands up to her and began chanting softly. A soft glow surrounded her as she stood in the middle of the circle and she closed her eyes as she felt her body being pulled at. She absolutely hated being teleported, but they all agreed it was a lot easier and quicker than flying back to Sunnydale. She hated planes more than she hated teleporting.

It felt like hours although she knew it had only been minutes when the pull against her body stopped and she finally felt the ground beneath her feet once again. Blinking, she opened her eyes, feeling almost blinded by the bright Californian sun. However, she was a little surprised to find she wasn't outside but rather inside of a room she'd never seen in her life and standing by the open window that faced down to the street.

Clutching onto her bag, she quietly moved around the room until she reached the door. Despite having never seen the room before, she felt strangely at home, and it made her a little nervous. She opened the door after fiddling with the lock on it. It creaked on its hinges as it slowly opened and the smell of freshly brewed coffee hit her hard. The sound of voices made her back up into the room and shut the door. She locked it and held her breath as she heard the soft footsteps come up the stairs and down the hallway.

"Fai, are you awake?"

Faith's eyes went wide as she stumbled back and dropped her bag to the floor. "Ma?"

"You're running late," she said through the door. "You know how Mr. Giles hates it when you're late for your morning training."

Faith backed up further into the room and walked straight into the dresser, knocking over a few picture frames that had been on top. She bent down to pick them up and her breath caught in her chest as she saw her, Buffy, Willow, and Xander all looking happy and smiling for the camera.

"What the fuck?" Faith said under her breath as she placed it on the dresser and looked at the second picture. "What a mind fuck and a half," she sighed out as she placed the second picture, another taken of the four of them on the dresser.

"Fai, is everything okay?"

"Uh, fine. Everything is fine...Ma," she called out, feeling her insides twist up and a lump form in her throat as she looked into the mirror hanging on the wall just above the dresser. "Definitely a mind fuck and a half," she said as she stared at the reflection of her much younger self.

* * *

Buffy paced the control room floor as Willow recreated the circle. Her heart was racing and she felt more scared than she'd ever felt before in her life. She had no idea what was waiting for her back in Sunnydale other than the First and her mother. She'd overheard Andrew and Giles talking about how a wish like the one Faith made could have made some kind of a paradox that altered their past and she really wasn't sure if she was ready to face something quite like that.

"Buffy, it's ready for you," Willow said to her as she placed the jar of sand on the table and motioned for her to step inside the circle. "Ready for this?"

"Yeah," she nodded and grabbed her bag and the scythe and held them tightly. She looked over at Xander, Giles, and Dawn and smiled at them uneasily. "You guys are right behind me, right?"

"Right behind you, Buff," Xander said with a smile. "Actually, Dawnie will be right behind you, then Giles, then me, then Willow-"

"I know what you mean," Buffy laughed and she turned back to look at Willow. "See you at the house?"

"It'll be okay, Buffy. We're right behind you."

"I know, Will," Buffy nodded and took a deep breath. "Let's do it."

Buffy closed her eyes, waiting as Willow chanted softly, wondering why she was chanting a spell when normally teleporting was done in the blink of an eye. Trying not to think of it, she held her breath as she felt a lightness fill her body and darkness surround her. She knew it should've only taken seconds, but it lasted over a minute and when she finally felt solid again, she was almost afraid to open her eyes.

And she tried not to panic when she could no longer feel the scythe in her hand.

"Shit," Buffy said under her breath and she opened her eyes, blinking at the brightness that filled the room. She dropped her bag to the floor when she saw she'd been teleported straight to her old bedroom in Sunnydale.

Everything was quiet in the house and she figured it was early still. She picked up her bag and tossed it in her closet before she saw a picture that caught her eye, a picture she'd seen a hundred times and one that she thought was forever lost in the rubble. Only it was different. Faith was in the picture with them. Wondering how that was even possible since that picture had been taken long before they knew Faith existed, she shrugged it off and walked over to the window, opening it to let in the warm morning air. Something definitely felt off and she knew that just from the way she suddenly felt as soon as she'd been teleported into her old room.

_At least she was accurate_, Buffy thought and shrugged as she walked away from the window, smiling to herself as the familiarity of her old room and being back in Sunnydale began to sink in. She wasn't even sure how long she'd have to wait until the others showed up at the house, but she was hoping it'd be soon since she wasn't ready to face her mother all on her own.

Dawn was right behind her, yet she wasn't sure just how much time would pass before Dawn was there. Buffy paced her floor quietly, stopping every couple of paces to listen to see if she heard anything inside the house. Her nerves were starting to get to the better of her after nearly half an hour passed and the tap on her window nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"B, I think something really fucked up is happening," Faith said from the window.

"What?"

"Have ya even looked in the mirror yet?"

"Faith, you look-"

"Like I'm seventeen again?" Faith asked, rolling her eyes as she climbed inside. "I'm telling ya, B. Something is going on here that we didn't know was gonna happen."

Buffy took a deep breath and walked to her vanity. She looked in the mirror for the first time since she got there and her eyes went wide as the colour drained from her face. "How is this-no, this isn't possible. Faith-?"

"You wanna hear something even more fucked?" Faith asked as she started to pace the floor. "I'm guessing that wish did work 'cause I ended up in a room in a house I've never been in and the kicker? My mother is alive and if she's alive that means I'm guessing my father is too. Jesus, B, she's nothing like I remember her. She's..."

"I thought you said your mother was dead?"

"That's what I thought too," Faith sighed. "I don't know how this is possible, I mean I know the wish I made was a lot and maybe this is Danu's way of making it work?"

"I don't know," Buffy whispered as she stopped Faith from pacing and grabbed onto her hands. "Dawn hasn't shown up yet. She should've been here by now."

"Maybe she ended up somewhere else? I know we didn't just get teleported here by Willow. Something else happened as soon as she sent us here."

Faith was shaking and Buffy wrapped her arms around her in an attempt to calm her down despite the fact that she was scared and trying to figure out how this was possible and what else had happened in the time they were teleported from Scotland back to Sunnydale.

"Faith, when I got here, the scythe kind of just...disappeared."

"What?"

"I don't know what happened. It was just gone," Buffy said quietly. "Maybe once Giles is here he can help us figure this whole thing out."

"Everyone is coming here, right? I mean that was the plan," Faith said and she shook her head. "First thing I did after I calmed the fuck down was got my ass over here. I couldn't even look at my mother as I walked outta the house. Have you seen your mom yet?"

"No," Buffy said, shaking her head as Faith's hands roamed over her back slowly. "I haven't even heard anyone else in the house since I got here."

"Well, it's early and it's Saturday. Maybe she's still sleeping?"

"How do you-"

"Checked the paper on the front porch before I climbed up here. Get this, it's the beginning of August, B. I wasn't even fucking here the first time around until what, October?"

"At least you're here," Buffy said softly, smiling at her as she leaned in for a soft kiss. "Here with me."

"Alone," Faith grinned, sliding her hands down to Buffy's ass as she pulled her in closer to her. "Haven't been alone since that night."

Buffy laughed, wondering how Faith could think about sex at a time like this. The last two days and unable to be alone had definitely taken a toll on her too and it wasn't hard to just look at Faith and want to sneak off for some sexy, naked time together. Buffy laughed again, earning a curious look from Faith. She shook her head and pulled her in for a deep kiss, just wanting to get lost in Faith even if it was just for a moment. She didn't forget what was waiting there for them; she didn't forget that the First was back and that they'd have to deal with trying defeat it and whatever else came along with it.

"Think we can..." Faith trailed off once she'd pulled back from Buffy's lips.

"I-"

"I want you," she whispered huskily into Buffy's ear as she rolled her hips against Buffy's. "Fuck, I need you, babe."

"We-we can't. Not right now," Buffy said, frowning when Faith let out a sigh that sent shivers through her entire body. "There's too much we don't know."

"Yeah," Faith said, sighing again as she stepped out of their embrace. "Wonder how long it'll take everyone to show up? Maybe they're all too busy freaking out right about now."

Buffy shrugged and sat down on the edge of her bed and buried her face into her hands. It was too much, it felt like too much and she was far too afraid to walk out of her room and face her mother. It'd been over four years since she'd died and she wasn't sure how she'd handle seeing her alive and well again. She felt Faith sit next to her and felt the tears slide out as Faith wrapped her arms around her and just held her.

"B?"

"I'm fine," Buffy said, sniffling as she wiped away her tears quickly. "I'm fine."

"You have to see her," Faith said and she motioned to the door as they both heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. "You need to see her to know that it's real."

"What if I'm not ready to?"

"Don't think you're gonna have a choice," Faith whispered and she moved away from Buffy as the door opened slowly.

"I thought I heard you up, Buffy," Joyce said as she smiled at her. "Faith, what are you doing here so early? I didn't even hear you come in."

"Mornin' Scooby meeting," Faith said easily and smiled right back at her. "Me and B had a few things to discuss about patrol. Nothing big."

"Scooby meeting?" Joyce asked and she laughed as she shook her head. "I guess that means I've got to make everyone a nice big breakfast then, don't I? Faith, I'll make you those pancakes you love so much while I'm at it too."

"Great, I'm starved," Faith laughed and she nudged Buffy in the side. "You hungry, B?"

Buffy nodded, unable to take her eyes off her mother. She was acting like everything was...normal, which felt really strange since she'd never taken a strong liking to Faith before, not the way she was showing now.

"Oh Faith?" Joyce said as she started to walk back out of the bedroom. "You know you don't have to climb in through the window. You're more than welcome to come to the front door. We've been over this before. You know where we keep the spare key."

"Right, sorry. Old habits die hard, right?"

Joyce smiled and left the room, keeping the door ajar a few inches. Buffy shook her head and tried to stand up from the bed, but Faith pulled her back down. Neither could say anything as they just sat there and stared at one another. Buffy wondered what was going through Faith's mind and wondered how she could stay so calm when the situation was causing her to internally freak out.

She had forgotten how Faith looked before. She'd forgotten that softness in her eyes before everything had gone bad. She'd forgotten how Faith used to look at her, especially in the beginning. It made her heart race now seeing those same eyes, so innocent yet so deep, that lingering guilt still there, but the love she knew Faith had for her overtaking everything else in her brown eyes that completely captivated her. She lifted her hand to caress over Faith's cheek, smiling when Faith grinned at her, her dimples on full display.

"What, B?"

"You're beautiful," Buffy whispered. "I never realized-I never saw the way you-"

"You see it now," Faith said before Buffy could finish what she was trying to say. "You see and know now, Buffy, and that's all that matters to me."

"Faith, I-I'm scared," she sighed and she dropped her hand slowly. "I don't know if I can do this again. If this is real, this means I have to go to high school. Again!"

"Is that all you're worried about?" Faith laughed and she pulled Buffy onto her lap, her arms circling her waist. "Look at it this way, B. At least you'll know what to expect. Shit. I wonder if we gotta deal with the Mayor again. I mean we're back here, right? Things have gotta happen the way they did before, right?"

"I don't know."

Buffy was becoming more worried about what would happen, more worried about the timeline of events that would unfold and how much worse things could get with the First being around in supposed full force now. She was worried about Angel, remembering how he'd come back from Hell and the way he'd been-an animal-when he returned. She wasn't looking forward to having to live through that again. It was Angel that had driven her away from Faith, away from her friends. If she had to live through it again, she knew she wasn't going to let the same thing happen twice. She wasn't going to let him come between her and Faith. Not now that they'd found something deep and real within each other.

She felt like what she had with Faith now was the only thing that was going to keep her strong. She felt for the first time since they'd gotten together that Faith was her rock, her tether, keeping her together and making her feel safe. Nobody had ever made her feel that way before.

"What you thinking about?" Faith whispered as she tucked a few strands of hair behind Buffy's ear. "You got that faraway look on your face so that means you're either thinking of lovey-dovey shit or you're thinking about getting naked and sweaty with me."

"You wish," Buffy laughed and she found herself instantly spun around and pinned underneath Faith on the bed. "Faith...stop. Not now."

"Fuck, B. I'm going crazy here. I'd forgotten how it felt."

"How what felt?"

"Having those teenage hormones and urges and unable to control them."

"Faith," Buffy laughed as she pushed her off and sat up. "Just hold it together. We can't. Not now. Not here. We've got far more important things to deal with at the moment like why nobody else is here yet!"

"Can I ask you something?" Faith asked, watching Buffy as she got up from the bed and straightened out her clothes. "You gonna tell your Ma about us? We ain't gonna hide this, are we?" She asked, indicating between them as if Buffy didn't know what she was talking about. "I don't wanna take all these steps back, B."

"I-I don't know. I need some time to figure this out and I need to know what's going on and how all of this happened, how this is possible we went back six years. This isn't possible, Faith. Time travel does not exist. It's not possible. Andrew and Giles figured that out months ago, remember?"

"But Danu was working on a level of magic none of us had ever seen before," Faith pointed out. "And it is possible to be back here where we are now. We're here, aren't we? Unless we died when Willow sent us here and this is some kind of really fucked up version of heaven."

"I feel very alive," Buffy said absent-mindedly and she jumped when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. "I really hope that's them."

"Let's go find out."

* * *

They all sat around the dining room table while Joyce stayed in the kitchen cooking breakfast for everyone. Faith knew something was bothering Buffy, something more than just being back to where they were now. Nobody had said much since they arrived at the front door and noticeably missing was Dawn. Giles told them quietly not to discuss anything in front of Joyce and Faith was just itching to find out what he knew. She _knew_ Giles knew something they didn't. It was too evident in the way he kept looking around at them all.

"Anyone else find this weird?" Xander asked quietly. "I mean, we're back in our awkward teenage bodies, not that I'm complaining," he said as he pointed to his left eye. "It's good to have good ol' lefty back."

"Xander, we'll discuss this afterwards," Giles said firmly. "I'm still trying to come to the conclusion of how this is all possible."

"You mean you don't know?" Buffy asked and she reached under the table for Faith's hand. "How can you not know what's going on right now, Giles?"

"There are several theories, but nothing I can confirm at this moment. I need you all to stay calm and only when we're alone will we talk about this. We cannot allow anyone else, especially not Buffy's mother, to know what is going on. From the looks of things, she has no idea anything is any different from how she knows it as and we must keep it that way for as long as possible until we know for certain what just has happened here."

Faith already had her own theories but knew better than to voice them at the moment. Her thoughts were threatening to consume her, but the way Buffy was stroking her thumb against hers kept her grounded, kept her from falling away to those thoughts. Buffy was keeping her strong, keeping her grounded, and that lingering feeling she was making Buffy feel the same way made her heart feel full-too full, it was almost painful with every solid beat her heart made. And her mind was reeling over the same question she knew everyone else was thinking at that moment.

Where _was_ Dawn?

Not even Joyce had mentioned Dawn or where she was and that got the wheels turning in her head even more so than they already were. What had happened to Dawn when Willow teleported them all back to Sunnydale? Did Dawn end up somewhere else while the others all were magically transported back into their seventeen year old bodies? Too many questions and zero answers were making Faith's head hurt and she let go of Buffy's hand as she stood up from the table. She needed out. She needed air and a cigarette.

"Faith, don't go," Buffy whispered to her as she reached out and grabbed onto her hand. "Stay."

"I need to get outta here, B."

"Stay," she repeated, pouting when Faith jerked her hand away. "Please?"

"I just need to-I need to get outta here for a minute," she muttered and she headed for the front door, ignoring Joyce as she called out to her that her pancakes were almost done.

Her hands were shaking as she dug out the worn pack of Lucky Strikes from her pocket and fumbled with the lighter, trying to light it. She wasn't sure if it was the surge of hormones she'd been feeling since she got there, but every inch of her wanted to take off running and never look back and she was finding it hard enough as it was to keep from doing just that. She couldn't take off and leave Buffy alone to deal with whatever was there waiting for them. She couldn't just leave Buffy after they'd come so far together.

Feeling torn between crying and screaming out in frustration, she sat down on the front steps with her unlit cigarette dangling between her lips. She managed to get her shakes under control just long enough to light the cigarette and she inhaled deeply, feeling the calm take over her that only nicotine could give her.

The laughter she could hear coming from inside made her feel uneasy. This wasn't normal. This wasn't how it used to be. She was never a part of them the way it seemed like she was now. She tensed when the front door opened, unable to relax when she felt Buffy sit down on the step next to her. Buffy grabbed the cigarette from her and took a drag, sighing heavily as she handed it back and laid her head on her shoulder.

"I'm glad you stayed," Buffy whispered as she reached for Faith's hand. "Come back inside?"

"In a minute, B. Just trying to get some shit sorted in my head."

"We're going to Giles' apartment after we eat. We're gonna figure everything out."

"I know," Faith sighed. "We always figure it out one way or another, don't we? Is it just me or do you think Giles knows more than he's letting on?"

"I'm getting the same feeling. Also getting a little worried about Dawnie. What if something happened to her, Faith?"

Faith squeezed her hand, not wanting to even begin to think of the possibilities of what could've happened to Dawn or where she could be. "Nothing happened, B," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm sure she just got sent somewhere else by accident."

"No," Buffy said under her breath. "I think I know what happened and why Mom hasn't mentioned her once. She never existed at this point, at least not _here_. Faith, she doesn't exist."

"I'm sure she's fine, B."

"No," Buffy said again and her eyes welled up with tears. "It makes sense now. Really, it does. We got thrust back here to a time when Dawn never existed so why would she be here with us now."

"I dunno. I'm sure Giles will help us figure shit out. So things are more than just fucked up right now. We'll get through it, babe. We can get through anything, right?"

Faith's own words surprised her, but they were true and she knew they'd get through just about anything that life threw their way. She'd been through a lot in her own life that made her strong enough to deal with just about anything that happened to her and with love on her side, as cheesy as it sounded in her head, she had no doubt she'd be strong enough to stand by Buffy's side until the situation with the First was dealt with.

She'd always been strong enough to stand at Buffy's side and it wasn't until she'd held the line before the Hellmouth and the rest of Sunnydale had collapsed did she realize that. They both turned to look down the front walkway when they heard the heavy footsteps quickly approaching them. She felt Buffy squeeze her hand hard, so hard she felt like the bones in her hand would break.

"Angel?"

There Angel stood just a foot in front of them now. Angel. In full sunlight and he wasn't on fire and Faith couldn't even feel the normal vamp vibes she always felt, especially around him. Buffy let go of her hand, but didn't move. She just stared up at Angel with her mouth open in shock. And the only thing Faith had running through her mind was:

_What the fuck?_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Faith paced the floor in the Summers' living room, stopping every couple of paces as she tried to listen to the conversation Giles and Angel were having outside. They'd been out there for nearly an hour and Faith was starting to wonder why she and Buffy weren't out there too. Before either of them had a chance to say another word to Angel, Giles was out there telling them to go back inside while he spoke with him first.

Joyce had left shortly after Angel showed up since she had to work on getting a new exhibit ready in the Gallery. This left the others free to start their research to find answers as to why Dawn wasn't there with them. Faith hadn't been able to sit still long enough, but she figured she wasn't useful at the moment. Willow was busy going through public records on her laptop with Xander hovering behind her and Buffy was going through Giles' address book, making phone calls to several of his contacts.

"I give up," Buffy groaned as she slammed the phone down. "Wills, any luck?"

"I-I can't find anything," she stammered as she looked back at Xander. "Buffy, there's no record of Dawn anywhere."

"There has to be _something_. Keep looking," she said firmly and she walked over to the couch and sat down. "What do you think they're talking about out there?"

"Beats me," Faith shrugged, still pacing the floor as she chewed on her lip nervously. "Were they all dead ends, B?"

"Yep. Each one a deader end than the last."

"We'll find out what happened to her," Faith said as she joined Buffy on the couch. She was still feeling restless, but she had to stop moving, just for a minute. "Did you try getting a hold of Ken in Cleveland?"

"The number Giles had is out of service and I have no idea how to get in touch with Robin."

"He won't know who you are, not yet at least," Giles said as he walked into the living room with Angel following behind him. "I'm afraid I have some bad news," he said solemnly as he motioned for Willow to stop typing on her laptop. "I've informed Angel all that had happened and he filled me in on a few very important details-"

"Which are?" Faith asked, glaring at Angel as he hovered in the doorway.

"Details which I will tell you afterwards," Giles replied and he walked over to the chair and sat down, sighing heavily as he removed his glasses. "From what I gather, we've been sent back in time. It appears the only ones who have any recognition of our present future is everyone in this room, aside from Angel of course."

"Which means what?" Xander asked quietly.

"It means everything we did before has been erased. Right?" Willow asked, looking just as afraid as everyone else that she was right. "That means that Dawn never existed and not to mention that spell I did on the scythe that made all the potentials become slayers."

"How the hell do you know that?" Faith asked, jumping up as Willow jumped out of the chair she was sitting in.

"It was just a guess, Faith!" Willow said nervously. "Giles?"

"She may very well be correct," Giles said calmly and he snapped his fingers at Faith and pointed at the couch. She sat back down beside Buffy and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she stared Giles down. "There really is no way to find out for sure just what happened when we made the transition back here."

"How 'bout you tell us what Angel told you outside before you confuse the hell out of us even more?" Faith asked through gritted teeth. "We need to know what the hell is going on here!"

"Faith," Buffy whispered as she ran her hand up and down her back a few times. "Calm down."

"Willow, could you make some tea?" Giles asked and she nodded, heading straight for the kitchen. "Angel has been quite informative on things we'll need to know when it comes to the First and its presence here in Sunnydale. We know that it has appeared twice in the last month."

"The first time was after Buffy had stabbed me. The First appeared to me in what I thought was a dream, warning me it would not fail to succeed this time," Angel said quietly and Faith saw the look he gave Buffy, a look of hurt, of longing as he waited for Buffy to look over at him. "When Buffy stabbed me in front of Acathla, it didn't kill me. I was pulled into the portal and I was in Hell for a time, not as long as time had passed here. I was brought back by the Powers that Be. A Guardian had come to me and rescued me from where I'd been banished for all eternity and offered me a chance to return here."

"As a human?" Faith asked and she scoffed when Angel nodded his head yes. "Anyone else think this makes zero sense right now?"

"Faith, please," Giles said, the irritation clear in his voice. "Let him speak."

"When I came back, only a day had passed here, but everything was different than it had been before. The Guardian that rescued me warned me that things were changing, that fate had changed its course and that it'd only be a matter of time before I saw those changes come into full effect. I had no idea what the Guardian meant until I showed up here earlier and with Giles help, I've been able to piece together a few things."

Angel took a deep breath and looked over at Faith before he continued. "I thought when I woke up this morning that I was going crazy. I have memories of a future that hasn't happened yet, memories of a past that was and a past that is. Giles spoke of the Neqa'el that granted the wish. Faith?" Angel said as he kept his eyes on her. "You were never aware of the consequences a wish like that would be when you made the wish, were you?"

"If I was aware the consequences would be so fucked up, do ya think I'd wish for this? Fuck no," Faith replied angrily. "I wished for Buffy to have a normal life and I gotta say that this is so far from fucking normal it ain't even funny anymore. This was _not_ what I wished for. I knew I made a mistake."

"Faith, you didn't know," Buffy said quietly. "It's okay. You didn't know."

"Is there a way to fix this?" Xander asked. "There has to be a way to fix this, Giles."

"I'm afraid at this moment I believe there is no way to "fix" this. Time has been altered, fate has been changed and until we know the true meaning behind a Neqa'el granting a wish of this magnitude, we have to stick it out as best as we can. Our main priority is the First and I believe we should be more focused on what it plans to do this time around. From what Angel tells me, the First was not affected by the wish and it remembers everything."

"Great," Faith muttered as she ran her hands through her hair and stood up quickly. "Anything else you can tell us, Angel? Anything _useful_ like maybe what the hell happened to Dawn?"

"I know someone that can speak to the Powers directly and seek out some answers, but that could take a while."

Faith stood up and walked towards the front door, ignoring Giles as he told her to come back and sit down since Angel wasn't finished. She was finished, at least for now. It was too much to take in and they still didn't know what they wanted to know about Dawn. She knew the First was top priority, but she knew Dawn deserved to be a little over it at the moment. Everyone was worried about Dawn and it was a feeling that lingered too deeply in her. Something had definitely happened to her. She felt it and had a lingering feeling of doubt that they'd get her back.

Faith sat on the short wall at the edge of the front porch and closed her eyes as she leaned back against the pillar. She didn't look to see who came out when she heard the door open, she already knew it was Buffy and she let out a soft sigh as Buffy placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come back inside, Faith."

"Not right now," she said quietly and kept her eyes closed. "I just need a minute, B."

"You can't keep walking out whenever you want to just because you can't deal with what's going on here," Buffy said and she dropped her hand from Faith's shoulder and moved to sit in front of her. "I know what you're feeling right now. I'm feeling it too, but we have to stick together. We have to make it through this mess _together_."

"I know."

Faith opened her eyes and looked at Buffy. She couldn't stop the smile as it curled over her lips. She'd always thought Buffy was beautiful since the first time she ever laid eyes on her, but she never allowed herself to stare at her too long before. She'd been too afraid of being caught, of everything being turned into something bad. She remembered now what made her push Buffy away and it wasn't just the trust issue or the jealousy factor. It'd been seeing a glimpse of what her life could be if she knocked down the walls she had built up around her and let Buffy in with hopes that Buffy would do the same that had made her turn and run.

That and she took the life of a human being.

The past had changed and as far as she knew, the lives she'd taken hadn't happened yet and she was going to make sure it damn well didn't. She still had the blood on her hands from before and it'd be something she'd never forget, but she wasn't stupid enough to let herself live through that same mistake again.

Besides, she had Buffy now and she wasn't going to let the chance at truly knowing what being in love felt like slip through her fingers as easily as the blood had before. Even with Angel back in the picture, she felt uneasy and unsure, her trust in Buffy being called into question despite what Buffy had said before about not being in love with Angel now and that she hadn't for a long time.

"Faith," Buffy whispered as she reached out for her hand, successfully pulling Faith from her thoughts and not a moment too late. "Do you get the feeling something is a little...off with Angel?"

"You mean aside from the fact that he's human?" Faith asked easily. "Yeah, a little bit. Why?"

"I don't know. It's the way he keeps looking at all of us. It almost feels like he's playing a game with us. I'm just getting this vibe from him. He's not the same, Faith."

"No shit," she laughed. "This is Angel as a human being, not a vampire with a soul here. Of fucking course he's not the same."

"It isn't just what's different with Angel that's getting to me right now. I just need to know what really happened to Dawn. I feel so...empty inside, Faith. I feel like there's a part of me missing, a part of me I took for granted before and a part of me I remember longing for long before Dawn was ever here. I just need to know."

"I know, B. We all wanna know what happened to her. We'll figure it out, okay? We'll figure it out one way or another. Fuck what Giles says about the First. We'll deal with it after we find out exactly what happened to Dawn and I ain't taking any half-assed answers either. We're gonna find out a solid answer as to what happened to Dawn and _then_ we're gonna deal with the First. Evil is just gonna hafta wait this time whether it likes it or not."

It earned her a small, hopeful smile from Buffy, one that lasted only a split second, but it was still there. There wasn't a whole lot to smile about either; Faith knew that, but just one moment was all they needed sometimes.

"Come on, let's go back inside. Giles said that Angel has a few things he wants to tell us."

"Still need another minute here, B. Stay with me? Just for a minute," Faith said softly and she pulled Buffy close to her and wrapped her arms around her. "Just need a minute alone with you."

"We've been out here for like five minutes and we-"

Faith silenced her with a deep kiss, unable to stop herself. That electric charge she hadn't felt in years surged through her body, making her want to take this so much further than just a kiss. Two days, her body was reminding her, it'd been two days since she was with Buffy and it was driving her in-fucking-sane with lust. She had to get some kind of control over these raging teenage hormones and with some stroke of luck she managed to break away from the kiss, leaving herself and Buffy breathless.

_Get your head back in the game, Lehane,_ Faith scolded herself as she let go of Buffy and stood up from the ledge. "Okay, think I got my minute there," she laughed as she motioned towards the door. "You ready to face another mindfuck and a half here, B, or am I going in alone?"

"Right," Buffy said, looking and sounding a little dazed as she sat there staring up at Faith. "I think I need a minute now."

Faith laughed and sat back down beside Buffy. "B, about Angel..." Faith sighed as Buffy turned to look at her and frowned. "You don't feel like you wanna get back with him or anything, do you?"

"No!" Buffy said and she grabbed onto Faith's hand. "Are you really worried that I want to be with him? Is that what's bothering you right now?"

"Little bit considering he's human and can give you everything you wanted from him before."

"I'm with _you_, Faith. In case you've forgotten, I'm in love with _you_, not Angel. You can give me everything I need, things that nobody else can, not even him."

"Like what?"

"Understanding," she replied softly. "Nobody else will ever truly understand the feeling and the burden of being a slayer. Nobody else will ever know what it's like to have the power we do, to have the strength we have and the burden we share with having the weight of the world on our shoulders."

"That's not the only reason you're with me, are ya?" Faith teased, winking at Buffy when she shook her head no. "Care to share any other reasons?"

"Do you really want me to sit here and explain to you why I love you and why I'm with you and not Angel?"

"Doesn't hurt to get the ego stroked a little," Faith chuckled and Buffy rolled her eyes, fighting back her own laughter. "Sorry. Just with him around the way he is, can't blame me for getting a little worried, you know? You guys got some heavy history together."

"And that's all it is, Faith. I never thought I could love anyone the way I used to love him and with you, I-it's intense and it's real and I-"

"And you are so giving me bedroom eyes," Faith chuckled and she winked at Buffy as she turned to look away. "Yeah I know, keep my pants on, whatever. I mean, can you blame me for wanting you right now? The other night, B, it was fuckin' amazing."

"It really was."

"So, when do you think things'll be..."normal" for us again?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, not having to deal with all this shit and everything," Faith muttered and she sighed as she looked out to the street. "I just wanna...be alone with you. Not just to have sex, although that'd be a wicked bonus."

"Faith! God, you're really letting your teenage hormones run the show, aren't you?"

"It's pretty distracting," she laughed and she shook her head. "I dunno, B. I just need some alone time with you. I feel strangely calmer just being here with you right now even though I should be seriously freaking out over everything."

Buffy nodded, understanding what Faith was saying to her. She moved to speak, but she shook her head before any of the words came out. Faith had to wonder what was going on inside of her head and she wondered if she was thinking a lot of the same things as she was too. They knew next to nothing about this version of their life. They knew next to nothing when it came to the First, Angel, and Dawn. Faith ran a shaky hand through her hair before she pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lit one. She offered Buffy one, but she shook her head no and just continued to stare at her as if she was waiting for her to say or do something.

"What have I told you about that disgusting habit?"

Faith turned quickly and saw Diana Dormer, her first Watcher, walking up the front walkway towards her and Buffy. "Di?"

Diana walked up to her, snatched the cigarette from her lips, and threw it to the ground, crushing it out with a disapproving look on her face. Faith was completely speechless, not knowing how it was possible for her first Watcher-who she'd watched die at the hands of Kakistos-to be standing there, alive as ever.

"You are also under probation. Again," Diana said and she looked at Buffy with a strange look in her eyes. "You have got to stop skipping out on your training, Faith. Your social life is _not_ more important than your calling, your destiny."

"I know," Faith sighed. "Just that there are a few things that are a little more important than training right now."

"I am aware as you are that the First has arrived here in Sunnydale, but that-"

"It's bigger than that," Faith said, stopping her from continuing and almost flinching when she saw the anger flicker over Diana's eyes. "Come inside and we'll uh, we'll catch you up."

"Your Watcher?" Buffy whispered as they watched Diana walk into the house. "How is it possible? Didn't you tell us she died at the hands of Kakistos before you came to Sunnydale?"

"Yeah, that's what happened, B. Got a funny feeling that everything has gone and changed on us, things we don't even realize," she said softly and she shook her head, laughing at the thought of not knowing just what kind of life they were living there now. "Far too late to take back that wish now, huh?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded, frowning as she headed for the door. "Are you coming, Faith?"

"Right behind ya," she replied, forcing a smile as she watched Buffy walk inside. She took a few deep breaths before she followed her inside and she closed the door quietly, sighing heavily as she tried to compose herself.

A part of her wanted to cry out in frustration of not knowing how it was possible for so many little details of her life-her whole life probably-to be so different. She didn't wish for that, at least she didn't think she did when she told Danu about her parents. Another part of her wanted to run, run as far away and as fast as she could without looking back. But she had to stay, she had to know, and if Angel couldn't help them fill in some of the blanks, she knew without a doubt that Professor Diana Dormer would.

* * *

Buffy sat on the couch next to Faith, listening to Giles and Angel as they tried to both explain to Faith's Watcher what was going on. Buffy couldn't get over that the woman was there, the same woman that Faith had told her-in detail-what had happened when Kakistos had killed her. What Faith had failed to mention to her was how young she was, younger than Giles at least by a good fifteen years. And she was gorgeous, although strict, but Buffy could see the warmth in her heart, the caring nature she had towards Faith in just a few looks the woman gave her while she tried to understand everything that was being said.

When Faith got up and headed for the kitchen without saying a word, Buffy was right behind her, sensing that letting Faith go off alone was not a good idea right now. The last thing Faith needed was to be alone with whatever thoughts were running through her head.

"Hey," Buffy said softly, smiling as she walked up to Faith as she stood in front of the sink and looked out the window into the backyard. "You okay?"

"Does it look like I'm okay?"

"No."

"Just can't wrap my head around any of this, B. Right when I think we could almost figure shit out, something like _this_ happens. Shit, I'd never thought I'd see her again, ever. She was a good woman, almost like a mother to me for that year before I was called as a slayer. She kept me in line, kept me from trying to run off and do whatever the fuck I pleased. She helped me see that it was okay to be who I was and showed me that there was a way to become someone...better. I dunno. She never got the chance to help me after that, not with her...dying..."

Buffy didn't say anything, she didn't know _what_ to say at the moment, but she did know that Faith wasn't finished and she knew she couldn't push Faith into talking about anything. She just had to let her do it her way and on her own terms. All Buffy could do was be there for her.

"Everything for me is different, Buffy. I _feel_ different and I've felt it since I got here. I don't know how to even fuckin' explain what I'm feeling, but it's a far cry from anything I've ever felt before."

"Try," Buffy whispered and she took both of Faith's hands in hers. "Just try to explain it. I want to understand what you're feeling right now."

"It's just I-shit, I don't know what it is, but I feel different and it fuckin' feels _right_. Is that nuts or what, B?"

"No, it's not nuts. I've kind of been feeling that way too," Buffy said and she smiled when Faith raised her right hand to wipe away at the tears that had started to fall. "We should get back in there. Don't want to miss the exciting stories we have no clue about."

"Exciting, right," Faith said, relaxing as she rolled her eyes and laughed when Buffy poked her stomach playfully. "I can think of something much more exciting that I'd rather be doing right now."

Buffy laughed and tried to step back, but Faith was too quick and she suddenly found herself pinned up against the counter by a very horny Faith. She pushed her back, barely able to make her move and she groaned when Faith leaned in to kiss her. As much as she wanted her and needed her, Buffy knew she had to put a stop to this. It could wait until later, no matter how much later it turned out to be.

"Faith," Buffy sighed against her lips, pushing her back a little more forcefully. "You know this isn't the time for us to be..."

"Acting like a couple of teenagers?" Faith asked, smirking when Buffy rolled her eyes at that. "Newsflash, B, we _are_ a couple of teenagers again. Let loose a little, babe."

"Newsflash, F, but we've got other things that are more important than us sneaking off to make out in the kitchen."

"Fine," Faith sighed and stepped back away from Buffy. "What about tonight?"

"What about tonight?"

"We gonna..."

Buffy raised an eyebrow at Faith, trying not to laugh at the way she was being. "Gonna what?" Buffy asked as she pulled Faith back to her. "We gonna...fuck?"

"Damn, now that's what I'm talkin' about," Faith said, wiggling her eyebrows as she leaned back and let her eyes drift over Buffy's body. "You're just fuckin' with me, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Buffy replied coyly. "Now come on, Faith, let's go back in there and see if we can learn anything new from this Watcher of yours."

Buffy let Faith walk out of the kitchen first, allowing herself a moment just to watch Faith from behind. She had no idea how Faith got her so worked up with just a kiss, a look, a few words, and that eyebrow wiggle and not to mention the dimples whenever she laughed or smiled. Buffy grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge before she walked back into the living room and took a seat next to Faith on the couch.

Nobody was speaking, nobody was even making eye contact and Buffy looked around at her friends in confusion. What had they missed? The mood was sombre, it hung over the room like a dark cloud ready to wreak havoc when they least suspected it. She looked over at Faith before she cleared her throat and turned to Giles.

"What's going on?"

"Ah," Giles said, looking a little startled as he cleared his throat. "Diana was informing us of some vital information on the First actually."

"Is that it?"

"It?" Diana asked angrily as she glared at Buffy from the chair that she was seated in. "I know you all are going through this...issue at the moment. The real problem here is figuring out what the First Evil is doing here in Sunnydale and we must find a way to defeat it before it can succeed with what it has planned."

"You can't kill it," Faith muttered and all eyes in the room were on her. "What, you guys _know_ you can't kill it. All we can do is try to stop it, put it back from whatever Hell dimension it crawled outta this time."

"Um, Faith? That's the thing," Willow said, speaking for Giles and Diana when neither seemed like they could say a word. "Diana just told us the First is um...it isn't non-corporeal like before. Something happened and well...it's uh, very real and very killable but..."

"But what? Spit it out!" Faith yelled at her. Buffy trembled at the amount of anger she could feel running through her.

"It's still very powerful no matter what form it has taken on."

"And what form is that? Is it its true self or something else?" Faith asked through clenched teeth as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared Willow down. "Is anyone going to tell us?"

"That's the thing, Faith. We know that it is no longer non-corporeal, but we do not know what it looks like. It appears from what Diana has told us that it can take the form of any living being, much as it could take the form of any dead soul before," Giles said softly. The fear and uncertainty was too clear in his voice and facial expressions. "It could be anyone."

"So," Buffy said as she looked around at the others. "How do we find it if we don't know what it looks like or where it could be right now?"

"We must be alert to any changes in the people that surround us," Diana replied. "But that may prove to be difficult considering your...situation."

"It could be anyone," Faith said under her breath and she turned to Buffy. "It could be _anyone_, Buffy."

"Are either of you prepared to fight the First if it has taken host in the body of a loved one, a friend, a parent?" Diana asked, her authority tone droning into Buffy and making her twitch. "Giles and I need to make sure you both are ready for what could happen."

"Yeah, whatever. We'll do whatever it takes to fight it and kill it, won't we, B?"

Buffy nodded, not really hearing her, not looking at her but over at Angel as he hovered in the doorway. She turned to look back at Faith and she knew that Faith was thinking the same thing as she was at that very moment. The First could be _in_ Angel and they had no way of knowing if it was or not. The First could be in any one of them and there'd be no way of knowing, of being sure before they made the move to put an end to it.

"Whatever it takes," she managed to utter a few minutes later, her eyes looking back over at Angel as he continued to stare at her. "What do we do now?"

"You and Faith will proceed with your training," Diana said and she nodded before she pursued her lips as she thought for a moment. "Rupert and I will research what we can in the meantime, but I imagine we won't find anything that can help us. The First has never been corporeal since its creation and as you know, the information on its origin is very difficult to come by."

Willow and Xander both looked at Buffy, wondering what they were needed for. Giles looked rather beside himself seeing Diana automatically step into a leadership role. Buffy wasn't sure what to think since she'd been in the leadership role for the last couple of years herself. She knew Faith hated being told what to do in a precise manner and it wouldn't take her long before she really needed to blow off some steam.

"Where exactly are we training?" Faith asked, breaking the silence in the room. "Di, you said something about us going to train, right?"

Diana sighed as she stood up from her chair. "I have a house a few blocks from here. You two train in the garage out back. I'll take you there. Rupert, are you coming along? I might have a few volumes of old texts we could go through there."

Nobody moved at first until Diana snapped her fingers while she led the way to the front door. Faith was the first one to get up and follow her and Buffy didn't miss the pointed glare Faith gave Angel while she walked past him. Buffy couldn't move and she looked over at the others, wondering if they should follow her or stay where they were.

"Well that was interesting," Xander said as he got up and started for the door. "Are you coming guys?"

Buffy nodded, turning to look out the window and watched Faith as she followed Diana to a black SUV parked on the street. She waited until she was alone in the living room with Angel before she stood up from the couch and stared right at him, trying to read him, see through him.

"Do you want me to come along?" Angel asked quietly, reaching out for her to stop her from walking right past him. "Buffy? I know that this is a lot for you right now. I can see it just from looking at you. You need all the help you can get with the First. Just know that I'm here."

"I know," Buffy said, offering him a small smile before she pulled her arm from his grasp. "I need you to fill in the blanks, Angel. And I'm not just talking about the First and what you know. I know there's something you aren't telling me."

"There are a lot of things I _can't_ tell you," he said and took a step back from her, shaking his head. "I'm not a part of your life like I was before. What I've told you is all I know. I'm sorry."

Buffy blinked back the tears she felt stinging her eyes. "This is why I need you to tell me what you aren't telling me, Angel. Please."

"The Guardians," he said as he turned his back to her. "They showed me. I know what it was like before and I know what'll happen. They altered fate. That Neqa'el didn't just make a wish come true, it had help from the Guardians," he paused, taking a deep breath before he continued. "The natural course of your lives, all your lives, has taken a different direction, making all of this possible by taking you back to where it was needed for it to happen. Giles knows this because I told him when we were talking earlier."

Angel turned around when Buffy didn't say a word after a few moments. Buffy had no idea what this meant and she wasn't sure if she could even trust everything Angel was telling her. She knew her doubts were showing and it made Angel turn towards the door.

"I will help you fight the First, Buffy," he said and he turned to look at her before he stepped outside. "But I'm not sure I can do anything else. All I can tell you that you need to know is that in order for that wish to come true, you need to make it come true."

Buffy watched him leave, trembling a little and not understanding why talking to him was affecting her this way. She felt almost lost, vulnerable-a feeling that she hated admitting she felt at all because it made her weak. It also made her feel as if it was hopeless for wishing that things would go back to the way they were before. Angel's words lingered, replaying over in her mind. She had to make the wish come true. Of course it wouldn't be easy. Nothing ever was.


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: Would love to know what anyone reading this thinks :) also, boo to buffynfaith disappearing without warning...

**Chapter Three**

Impressive was a word Faith was using when it came to the garage Diana had turned into a training facility. She'd been checking out the variety of weapons that was stored in several wardrobes, and although it was nothing like the armoury they had in the castle, it was still impressive. She was letting it distract her from her thoughts, from looking over at Buffy who hadn't said a word since they'd left the house. She sat on a stack of mats along the far wall next to an equally quiet Xander and Willow.

"Something else, isn't it?" Faith asked, hoping to break up the silence she was trying to ignore.

"Sure beats the good ol' library on any given day," Xander replied and he got up and joined Faith at the wardrobes. "She's got a nice collection."

"I was just thinking that myself, although nice isn't a word I'd use."

"Wicked awesome, right?" Xander asked, laughing as Faith rolled her eyes and laughed right along with him. "Was she like this before? Diana?"

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Take charge and make you fall in line was her speciality. Didn't mind it though, you know? Wasn't the same when someone else tried after she..."

Faith couldn't talk about it anymore. She'd already told Buffy and once was enough. Xander seemed to get it, backing off as she put the long sword back in its place and closed the wardrobe door shut. She never opened up herself completely and she only felt comfortable when it was Buffy on the receiving end. Or Kennedy.

A part of her was starting to feel a little homesick, definitely something she'd never felt before. She missed Scotland, she missed the way that room had felt like hers, and how she truly felt she belonged there. She missed Kennedy, she missed Dawn, she missed the younger girls who sometimes drove her completely insane and hell, she even missed Andrew. She wasn't sure she could handle the life she had there in Sunnydale, with what seemed like a normal family, a normal Watcher, a normal life-at least as normal as she'd ever hoped for it to be.

But that wasn't part of her wish. Her wish was for _Buffy_, not herself, so why did everything change for her too?

Diana walked into the garage and tossed Buffy and Faith each a plastic bag. "Please change into something more suitable for training. Willow, Xander? Rupert and I would like you two to come inside and help with the research while Buffy and Faith get started on their training."

Faith pulled out the plain grey shorts and white tank top and rolled her eyes. Diana was a very by-the-books Watcher and it almost annoyed her that she hadn't changed at all, but she almost wanted to savour it. She'd missed this. She'd missed _her_. All that had happened after, all her mistakes, turning from the good side to the worst of the bad, it'd all happened simply because she lost the one good thing she had in her life-someone that cared about her more than her mother ever had.

Everything was different and yet still somewhat of the same, and it scared her. It scared her because she didn't know and it didn't even feel like her _life_.

She waited until Diana had left with Willow and Xander following behind her before she tossed the bag to the ground and held the shorts and shirt in her hands. Buffy had already stripped out of her clothes and was pulling on the matching grey shorts. Following suit, she changed into the clothes Diana had brought for them and she walked up to Buffy and only watched as she began to take the mats and lay them out on the cement floor.

"B?" Faith asked, trying to look into her eyes and feeling her shift away. "What did Angel say to you back at the house?"

Buffy shook her head and tossed another mat down on the ground. "The Guardians are responsible for this. It isn't all Danu's doing, Faith."

"No?"

"He told me when he was in Hell that the Guardians showed him what was before and what would happen. He knew that all of this was going to happen."

"And?"

"I don't trust a word he says," Buffy replied and she grabbed another mat from the pile. "But he did tell me that in order for your wish to basically come true, I have to make it happen."

"What do you think that means then? Like we gotta defeat the First for good this time in order for your wish to come true?"

"I don't know," Buffy sighed and she stopped and sat down on the now short stack of blue mats. "He told me that fate had been altered, that the course our lives have been altered in order to make all of this possible."

"Giles know about this?"

"He said he told him."

"And you still don't trust him?"

Buffy shook her head no. "I can't and I don't think any of us should. At least not until..."

"Until what? B?"

"You heard what Diana said about the First."

It was a simple yet strong accusation, one that didn't need to be voiced any further. Buffy's accusation was clear that she thought Angel was under the control of the First, but too afraid to voice it because then that would make it _real_. Faith sat down next to her, breathing heavily as she tried to figure out what to say. There was a lot she wanted to say, but it wasn't what Buffy needed to hear. It was clear with the way she was silent before and the withdrawn feeling Faith was feeling from her now.

"What are we gonna do about it?" Faith asked, reaching out for Buffy's hand, feeling confused when Buffy pulled away before she could touch her. "Maybe I should be asking what _you_ want to do about it."

"I don't know."

Faith was trying not to become worried. This was not Buffy; the Buffy she knew always knew what she was going to do next. She always had a plan of some sort. She just didn't say "I don't know" in _any_ situation that needed to be dealt with. Something was happening to her and Faith just couldn't put her finger on what it was. It'd already been one hell of a long day and it was barely half over yet.

"It's too much, Faith," Buffy sighed as the tears began to fall. "It's all too much all at once. I don't know if I can handle much more. I'm just so...tired."

"We don't have to train. We can talk if ya want to?"

"No," Buffy said and she shook her head, her tears falling harder. "I just want to go to sleep and wake up to find out this is all nothing but a dream."

"I can assure you that this is no dream," Diana said from the doorway. Faith glared at her, wondering how long she'd been standing there. Diana held up a couple of short swords. "I wanted you two to train with weapons today, but I fear maybe I'm not taking a considerable amount of compassion towards your recent predicament."

"I'm fine," Buffy said and she stood up, walked over to her, and grabbed both swords from her hands. "Weapons training it is then. Faith?"

Faith didn't take the offered sword from her, knowing this would be a bad idea to train with sharp, pointed weapons with Buffy being in the state of mind that she was. "Buffy, this is a stupid idea," she said under her breath and she grabbed both swords, pulling them free from Buffy's hands. "This is a really stupid idea. We ain't gonna train with fuckin' swords with you like this."

"Faith," Diana said as calmly as she could even though Faith could see her anger in her eyes when she turned to look at her. "I do not know what you two are going through right now, but I do know the only way you can be prepared for what is coming, what is already here, is to train. You need to keep your mind on what is important and the risk you're taking, the lives that are at stake."

"Training ain't gonna do shit, Di!" Faith yelled and she struggled to calm herself down, her breathing ragged as she threw the two swords at the wall opposite from her. "Sure, it'll help us blow off a bit of steam, but it ain't gonna help us fight the First and win. I don't give a fuck about the First right now. I want to know what the hell really happened and why we're back here _now_ and once we do that, then we can deal with whatever the hell the First is gonna throw our way."

Diana was speechless as Faith stood in front of her, shaking from anger as she tried to calm herself down. She hated feeling so angry that she could taste it. And it was hot in the garage, even with the small air-conditioner that was stuck in the wall at the back.

"Do you have any fucking idea what we've been through? What _I've_ been through? Huh? Do you have _any_ idea, Diana?"

"Only from what Rupert has told me," she said in a small, trembling voice. "I don't know what it feels like for any of you and I don't know what you've been through, Faith. Whatever happened, you never deserved that and I know you know that."

"I watched him rip you apart like you were nothing," Faith said, unable to look away from the scared blue eyes she was staring in to. "I watched him kill you and I couldn't stop him. I took off running like a scared little girl and everything went to fucking hell after that!"

"Kakistos," Diana said under her breath. "But you killed him, Faith. You killed him before he could get to me. You weren't scared. You-"

"I didn't fucking save you! You're supposed to be fuckin' dead!"

Faith was losing it, losing the battle against her anger, against the past, against everything. The control she'd learned to have over the rage inside of her was slipping and she'd forgotten how easy it was to give in and let it take over her. Something was happening to her and she needed to figure it out for herself. It was more than just the boatload of teenage hormones that came back, it was more than just not knowing what the hell they were getting themselves into and it was more than just not knowing where Dawn was and how to get her back.

She was haunted by memories of what Kakistos had done to Diana, by the scenes playing over and over in her head now as she stared at her Watcher. She remembered the anguish she'd felt when she watched Kakistos rip her apart. She remembered the smell, the taste of her blood that had splattered throughout the room and onto her. She remembered the anger she felt, the guilt that followed because she hadn't been able to save her. They should've run, she knew that, but they didn't run. They couldn't. Not from something as old and powerful as Kakistos.

"Faith," Diana whispered as she took a tentative step towards her. "It's all right," she said as she wrapped her arms around Faith in a tight hug. "It didn't happen here, not like you remember. You saved me. I'm here now and that's all that matters right now."

"No..."

"Yes," Diana said and she let go of Faith but held onto her shoulders as she forced Faith to look at her. "It's different now for you, Faith. You need to accept that it is. I know you better than you think I do, even here, even now. I see the anger, the guilt, the reclusiveness you have when it comes to accepting things as they are. I've always told you that your emotions drive you, they make you what you are and that is a very powerful slayer, but you mustn't let them pull you apart like this."

Faith shook her head again and looked at Buffy, seeing the concern clearly in her eyes as she walked over towards her. She wondered if Diana had even a suspicion that their relationship was more than just friends, more than just two slayers fighting on the side of the good together. She cared and she didn't. It was her life, after all, and Diana might have been able to keep her in line before, but things were different now. Buffy reached for her hand, offering her a small smile as she motioned towards the mats.

"Maybe we should train for a little while, Faith. It'll get your mind off what's bothering you," she said sweetly, winking at her as she pulled Faith towards the mats spread out on the cement floor.

"Faith, will you be all right?" Diana asked, her voice heavy with concern.

"I'll be fine," Faith managed to croak out and she turned to smile at Diana, trying to convince her she really would be fine. "I'm over it and ready to break a little sweat," she said and she turned to look back at Buffy as she let go of her hand. "Ready to dance, babe?"

Buffy smiled and took a few steps back, easily falling into position as she winked and blew a kiss towards Faith, signalling her to make the first move. Faith could feel Diana's eyes on her back, watching for a moment until Faith began a slow circle around Buffy. As soon as the door shut when Diana left, Faith swept her leg around, catching Buffy slightly off-guard with a solid kick to her chest.

* * *

Buffy was exhausted after nearly forty minutes of casual sparring with Faith. It had scared her seeing Faith lose it the way she had when Diana came in with those swords. She had no idea what was going through Faith's mind then, or now as she laid out on the mats breathing heavily, sweat rolling from her hairline and over her forehead. It bothered her she didn't know what Faith was thinking of and it bothered her even more that her mood seemed to switch in a moment's notice. Faith had always been like that, but it was different this time. Too different.

"Damn, it's hot in here," Faith groaned as she leaned up on her elbows and looked over at Buffy. "Gave me quite a work out there, B, but you didn't have to hold back as much as you did."

"I held back?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow at her as she massaged the kink out of her neck. "Hardly."

"Could barely feel your punches," Faith pointed out as she laid back down on the mats. "Kicks were soft too."

"What, did you want me to kick your ass or something, Faith? You know that isn't the point of training."

"What is the point?"

Buffy sighed and moved to lie down next to her. "There is no point. It's just training."

Faith turned on her side to look at Buffy, but Buffy was having a hard time just looking at her. After what she witnessed earlier, she wasn't sure how to talk to Faith about it. She couldn't just let it go without saying something to her about how she reacted to Diana. She took a shuddery breath as Faith trailed her fingers over her bare arm and now she had something else to deal with, those adrenaline hornies that seemed to be much stronger now than they had been as of late.

_Maybe Faith isn't the only one "suffering" from the overdose of teenage hormones_, Buffy thought, unable to hold back the smile that curled over her lips. She opened her eyes and found Faith looking over at her with a cocky grin.

Faith looked down at her fingers as she trailed them over Buffy's collarbone slowly. She leaned down and kissed Buffy and it wasn't anything like the kiss she was expecting. It light and sweet and she was pouting when Faith pulled back suddenly. She followed Faith's eyes and turned to look over at the door to see Xander and Willow standing there.

"Wow, uh, maybe we should come back later? Much later sound good, Will?" Xander asked nervously. "Give them two naughty slayers a little alone time, yeah?"

Buffy laughed when Willow hit him for the way he was acting and she and Faith both sat up as Willow offered them each a cold bottle of water. "Thanks," she said to Willow, smiling at her as she hit Xander again as he was caught wiping a little bit of drool from the side of his mouth. "Xander, grow up."

"Not like he ain't seen two chicks kiss before," Faith pointed out. "All those years with Willow and Tara and then with Kennedy the last while, you'd think you've gotten immune to it by now."

"I'm immune! It's just...seventeen again here," he said as he waved at his body. "Forget I even said anything."

"Xander," Willow glared at him and pointed to the remaining stack of mats. "Just sit down. We have to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Buffy asked. "What'd you find out? Did you find out something about Dawn?"

"Um, yes and no, it's about a few other things," Willow replied. "Mostly about Angel. Ooh and about the scythe, _your_ scythe, and why it disappeared when I sent you here."

"Let me guess, it's all because of the Guardians and that Angel has my scythe now?" Buffy knew she was right before Willow could even say it. "How do you know this?"

"Diana told us," Xander said. "She doesn't want you to know about it yet. What is Angel even doing with it? It doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't he just give it back to you?"

"Because this Angel isn't the one from before, nobody is and as far as I can tell it's just us. And Giles. Maybe," Buffy said, shrugging a little. "But I don't trust Angel. I haven't since I looked at him this morning."

"You don't trust Angel? Because he's human now?" Xander asked and they all looked right at him with a glare. "What? It seems like the obvious reason, doesn't it?"

"Not just because of that, although I gotta admit I liked knowing whenever he was around. Always could feel him, sometimes a little uh, deeper than I felt other vampires," Buffy said quietly and shook that memory off, not liking the feel of it there now that she was in love with Faith. "I don't know. Maybe it _is _the human thing that's bothering me, or it could be the fact that I think he's either working with the First or somehow the First is Angel. I just know I can't trust him and I don't think any of us should."

"We gotta go get the scythe, B," Faith said as she got to her feet. "If he's workin' with our big bad, I don't think it's a good idea to have it lying around. You know that thing can destroy everything, destroy us."

"So," Buffy sighed as she looked around at her friends. "We get the scythe back and we do what with it? Hiding it isn't going to work. It'll be found eventually."

"I'm more worried about what you said about Angel," Willow said and she shook her head. "This is crazy, isn't it? Everything is almost the same as before but it's really not. It feels so...weird, but almost...right too? Am I the only one feeling that?"

"Not alone there," Faith muttered as she sat back down on the mats next to Buffy. "Definitely feeling different here. You think it's the whole being seventeen again deal or just the fact we're back in SunnyD that's getting ya wiggin' a bit?"

"Guys?" Buffy sighed. "The scythe? Sounds like a little bit top priority right now. If Angel has it and he's not really...Angel, we need to get it back. Right now."

"One problem," Willow said wearily. "Angel doesn't live in that mansion on Crawford Street anymore. I checked into it and it'd been converted into a club. Kind of like the Bronze, but not. Anyway," Willow sighed and she frowned at Buffy, "we don't know where Angel actually lives right now."

"The usual haunts are gonna be off the list of places he could be," Faith said and she stood up from the mats and pulled Buffy with her. "I say we start checking things out, find out where he's staying and then maybe we can check out his old place later and see what kind of club it is."

"I like Faith's plan," Xander said with a nod. "Better than the one they're coming up with inside."

"Which is?" Buffy asked as she grabbed him by the back of the shirt before he could walk to the door. "Xander, what are they planning to do? Does this have something to do with why Diana didn't want us to know about Angel having _my_ scythe?"

"It wasn't just Diana," Xander said quickly. "Giles agreed with her that it's best you two stay out of this. They were going to try to retrieve the scythe themselves without you knowing."

"Well fuck that," Faith said and she grabbed her clothes from where she'd left them. "You two give us a minute to change outta these clothes and we're gonna motor. Let the Tweeds do their job and we'll do ours."

Buffy let go of Xander's shirt just as Faith had to force him out the door. She slammed it shut behind him and stripped out of her workout clothes. Buffy followed, trying to keep her eyes from drifting over to Faith, but it was nearly impossible to stop herself. Faith winked at her before pulling on her shirt and she stood there with her hands on her hips, watching Buffy as she scrambled to get dressed. Faith mouthed "later" as she made a flourish towards the door and Buffy had to suck in another one of those shaky breaths as she walked past her and outside.

They joined Willow and Xander at the side of the house and decided it'd be better for them to split up. Buffy went with Willow knowing if she went with Faith that there'd be no way she'd be able to keep her hands to herself. The scythe was top priority and she was a little bit pissed to know about Giles and Diana not wanting to tell them about it. This was _her_ scythe and there was a lot of power in it that made it dangerous to be out of her hands.

Buffy had no idea where to start looking for Angel, but they had to start looking somewhere. Willow led the way down the street, but she came to a stop when they reached the corner.

"Which way do you want to start?"

"We could go to Willy's and see if he knows anything about Angel's whereabouts?"

"Xander and Faith are headed there, remember?" Willow reminded her. "You know he has to be living _somewhere_ if he's still in Sunnydale. Do you think if we got close enough to the scythe that you'd be able to feel it?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure."

"Buffy?" Willow sighed as she stopped Buffy from trying to cross the street. "There's something else we didn't tell you." Willow took a deep breath and Buffy noticed that she was trembling a little bit. She motioned for Buffy to follow her and they walked down the street until they reached a bench at a bus stop and sat down. "Diana told us how Angel lost his soul before you killed him. It didn't happen like before. You two were never...you never slept with him."

"How did he lose his soul then? What was his one moment of true happiness?"

"That's just it," Willow said and she shook her head as if she couldn't believe it herself. "The First had some kind of trigger on him, we don't know and Diana isn't sure what, but that's what she found out. The First is the reason Angel lost his soul and turned into Angelus. He still managed to kill Jenny Calendar and a few others. He tried to kill you and he almost did from the way Diana tells it. If it wasn't for Spike-"

"So Spike is around?" Buffy asked. "Well? Don't you think going to him might help us find Angel?"

"I-I don't think that's such a good idea right now, Buffy. I mean this is Spike, before the Initiative put a chip in his head Spike. What makes you think he'll tell us anything?"

"I don't know, but we're going to find out."

* * *

Faith leaned up against the tree staring up at what had once been Angel's mansion, watching as the crowd of college co-ed's lined up outside. There was a beefy bouncer controlling the crowd, pushing a few rambunctious guys back as they tried to cut in front of the line.

"Hey," Buffy said as she walked up behind her. "Xander told me I'd find you here."

"Yeah. Any luck today, B?"

"No. I went looking for Spike, thought he'd be able to help us find Angel, but..." Buffy trailed off as Faith moved to brush her hair behind her ear to reveal the nasty black eye she was sporting. "No such luck. What about you? Xander said once you guys got here you didn't leave."

"Coulda sworn I saw Angel go in there when we passed by earlier."

"And?"

"Trying to figure out how to get into this place wearing this body," she said as she pointed to herself. "They're carding everyone. Already turned away Cordelia and her little group of bitchy friends that were with her."

"And that's stopped you before because?"

"Don't wanna cause a scene and make Angel all suspicious and shit," Faith shrugged. "Keep hoping Beefy over there will get a little preoccupied. Some of these guys are just asking for a beat down."

She had her eyes on the rambunctious few that were taunting each other, pushing and shoving, anger fuelled by one too many drinks starting to spill over. As soon as the bouncer made his move to break up the fight, Faith grabbed onto Buffy's hand and they moved quickly to the doors and walked in. Faith didn't let go of her hand as she led Buffy through the crowd of people until she reached the stairs. It was blocked, but a little chain with a "no-entry" sign on it wasn't going to stop her.

The whole inside of the mansion was different, more open except near the back where the stairs led up to the few bedrooms Faith knew were up there. She knew Angel was still inside and she knew she'd find him up there in one of the rooms. How she knew, well it was more just instinct and the fact she hadn't seen him leave since he walked in an hour before.

They made their way up the stairs slowly and stopped at the top. What was left was just a long hallway with two doors on each side and the window at the end boarded up. Faith let go of Buffy's hand and tried the first door on the left while Buffy tried the door on the right. Both were locked and they moved to the next door. Faith stopped her before she could try to open the door to her right and placed a finger over her lips as she strained to hear the voices over the music that floated upstairs.

"So the Slayers and their band of friends have come back, have they? What do they know?"

"Not a lot," Angel replied. "They've only been back since this morning."

"As planned."

"Percy," Faith whispered to Buffy. "That little fucker is gonna get his ass beat to shit."

"Faith, we don't have any weapons," Buffy whispered and Faith just grinned as she unsheathed a knife from the strap along her ankle under her pants. "Right, I forgot you always like to have that on you."

Faith leaned in closer to the door, hoping she'd hear something else, but it'd grown silent and she sighed and turned to look at Buffy. Without a word, she raised her foot and slammed it against the door, sending it crashing open with a bang.

"Ah, I was wondering when you two would choose to make an appearance," Percy said with a cruel laugh and smiled at them. "Angel, if you would give me a moment alone with these two, it'd be much appreciated."

"I'm not going anywhere," Angel said as he walked over towards Buffy and Faith. "Don't trust him," he whispered to them and he gasped as Percy moved and wrapped his hands around his neck and threw him easily out into the hallway. The door slammed shut and locked, preventing Angel from coming back inside the room.

"Percy," Faith growled, ready to attack. "You're a dead man."

"Faith! Don't," Buffy said, grabbing onto her arm and stopping her before she could move towards Percy.

"A dead man, you say?" Percy laughed and he shook his head. Faith wrenched herself free of Buffy's grasp and threw a hard right hook towards Percy's head. He grabbed onto Faith's wrist and stopped her and he twisted her arm and brought her down to her knees. "It's funny what a dead man can do on his last breath, isn't it?"

Percy let go of Faith and she got to her feet and moved back to Buffy's side. "What are we gonna do?" Faith asked as she gripped her knife. "Should've used the weapon first, not the fist."

"You always did jump right into anything without thinking about it first, didn't you?" Percy taunted and he laughed and took a step back. "That weapon wouldn't hurt _me_, per se, but I'm pretty sure this body would be done for."

"What are you then?" Faith asked, glaring at him in the flickering light.

"I am what you call the First. Just wearing this body as if it were my very own."

"What do you want?" Buffy asked through clenched teeth as she stared at what used to be Percy and was now very much claiming to be the First. Faith realized then that this was a trap, that they'd been lured there for this in their search for Angel.

"Oh I want a lot of things, such a damn shame you ruined it for me the last time. How do you like my new body? Fits like a glove, it does," the First laughed and shook its finger at Faith as she tried to move closer. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Slayer. It isn't time for that yet."

"We played your whole song and dance game last time. I so ain't looking forward to doing it again."

"What do you want?" Buffy asked again. "You come back to end the slayer line again? You just don't give up, do you?"

"I am the oldest thing in this world, so no," it laughed as it backed up a few steps away from them. "I do not give up. And don't go thinking I don't know about your wish, Faith," it said as it looked over at Faith. "I know _all_ about it and honestly? If it wasn't for that wish, I could not come back. You see, when you "defeated" me the last time, I was trapped in the Hellmouth with tons of debris on top keeping it pretty much...buried. Yes, you'd think the most powerful being in this world could escape, but that little deal with your vampire? That kept me in too."

"Buffy, we need to either kill this thing or get outta here now," Faith said as she stood close next to her.

"What did you do with Percy?"

"I did not do a thing. Percy Chapman was a fine man, offering his body and soul to me so I would be more than just inside of him. I would be in him, fully completely. You see," the First laughed as it took a step forward, matching each of their footsteps with one of its own. "Percy Chapman is dead. It's not as if you care, do you? He was the bad guy in the end, the one you should've gone after first before those unworthy beings-those Neqa'el. Dirty, ungrateful bastards."

The First spat on the ground and grinned at them. "He allowed me power I never had, not since the Guardians figured out a way to banish me into an eternity of existing as a non-corporeal being. He found a way to break that powerful curse. _I_ invented that curse. _They_ stole it and used it against me," it laughed and took another step forward until it was barely a foot away from Buffy and Faith. "I guess it's true, isn't it? I _am_ everywhere and I am in everything, even a good old chap like Percy here, a man-more of a boy still really-destined to be a Watcher all his life, schooled and trained harder than any other of the little boy Watchers his whole life. And look at where it got him."

Buffy could feel Faith tense up, ready to run or kill-or kill herself trying to kill. She grabbed onto her hand a second before she knew Faith would make a move. "Don't," she said sharply, keeping her eyes on the First as it eyed them up and down, a sly smirk forming over its lips as it took a step back.

"I'd forgotten what it was like here and what you two had become. Isn't that something?" The First laughed and it went right through Faith, cold as ice. "You," it pointed at Faith and she tensed up a little more. "You always felt something for her, didn't you? Even through the darkest times, even through the hatred, you hung onto the tiniest strand of hope that maybe she cared about you. You wanted her to love you back, didn't you?"

"She loves me _now_," Faith said through gritted teeth. "It's funny 'cause I'm thinkin' that's all that matters."

"I had hopes for you, I felt your darkness. It fed me and because it came from a Slayer, it made me strong. Do not think Buffy never had that darkness inside of her. When she came back, she was full of it and full of the deepest hatred there could be. But," the First shook its head and began to pace the floor in front of them. "I used to hate how you felt, how you could feel, how quickly some can throw away the deepest, darkest feelings that pull me awake at night."

"But now, just like before, you want to kill us, right?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow when she saw the First stop pacing and the anger that now deeply shone in its eyes. "Some things really do never change, do they?"

"Oh things do change. Count on it."

Without warning, a bright yellow light shot out from Percy's body and disappeared into the air. The body fell to the floor in a slump. Faith didn't move, could barely breathe and she held onto Buffy's hand. She knew just how things did change and she knew that the game plan the First had this time was already in effect.

Faith knew they needed to get the scythe and they needed to get it _now_ before anything else happened. The First had used Percy as a show and tell, never planning to harm them. Why was what Faith wanted to know, why didn't the First just try to kill them now when it had a chance? Buffy walked over to Percy and knelt down beside his lifeless body and checked for a pulse.

"Dead?" Faith asked as she sheathed her knife. "Definitely dead, right, B?"

"Yeah," she said softly and she stood up. "Do you realize what just happened here, Faith?"

"Creepy encounter with the First who basically lured us here for what? Show and tell?"

"It killed Percy, took over his body, everything right down to his voice. If it can do that to Percy, it can do that to any one of us. It made itself known and shown us what it can do."

"It's playing with us, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Big time."

"So," Faith sighed as she tried to open the door. She gave it a good tug and it opened up, the hinges breaking off from the frame. "What do we do now, B? You know we gotta go find the scythe, _your_ scythe before the First does."

"Where'd Angel go?" Buffy asked as she looked up and down the hallway. "I _knew_ we couldn't trust him! He was in there, sitting there with Percy-with the First! He told me not to trust him, but I don't trust _him_ either!"

"B, babe?" Faith sighed as she wrapped her arms around Buffy, feeling her shaking slightly as she held her close. "Calm down, okay? We're gonna figure this out, but right now, we're gonna go get your scythe and then I'm gonna kill Angel-"

"He's human, you can't kill him."

"Okay, I'll smack him around a bit until he starts telling us the goddamn truth," Faith said and she kissed the side of Buffy's head before she stepped back. "Come on, he couldn't have gotten too far."

Faith was determined now to find Angel, to find the scythe. They could figure out what they were going to do next once they had the scythe back. She wasn't sure where Angel could've gone, but she had an idea. She knew they had to get back to Diana's before Angel did. It was just a gut feeling, one she really wished she didn't have right about now.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

They'd been looking through Sunnydale for two hours before Buffy had enough walking and stopped Faith from going any further. Her encounter earlier with Spike had left her feeling a little shaken up. He'd gotten the upper hand on her, twice, before he took off running and left her lying there in the broken debris from the door to his crypt. Buffy had barely gotten two words out of him before he launched at her, trying to fight. It was quick, too quick and Buffy hadn't been able to get a single move in before he had her flying through the air.

Shaken up was definitely what she was feeling. That and a little bit sore. Buffy knew there was no way he should've been able to beat her so easily and take off running like a...

"Coward," Buffy muttered and sat down on the curb.

"Who? Angel?" Faith asked as she sat down next to her.

"Spike."

"He did this to you?" Faith whispered as she ran her fingers over the bruising around her eye. "He got a few lucky moves on ya?"

"Unfortunately."

"How? You could easily kick his ass, B. Don't know why you ever held back."

"I've never held back," Buffy said and she sighed heavily. "It doesn't matter. He's like he was in the beginning, before..."

"Before he went and fell in love with you," Faith said and she laughed as she wrapped an arm around Buffy. "Believe me when I tell ya I know exactly what he's gone through with that."

"Hey!" Buffy teasingly glared at her as she nudged her in the side. "Is it that bad?"

"Is it bad that you can change a person just 'cause they fell in love with you?"

"I don't know."

Buffy wasn't sure how to feel about that, but she knew Faith was right. Everyone she had been with in the past had changed because they'd fallen in love with her and not always for the better either. Faith, on the other hand, had changed considerably and it started after they left Sunnydale. Buffy wondered if that's when Faith knew she was falling in love with her, or if it started before that. It was too late and it was a conversation Buffy wasn't sure she was ready to have. Not now or ever.

The thing with Percy, the First and Angel was making her head spin. She wasn't sure what to think about why Angel was even there with Percy in the first place and she didn't know why they were very obviously talking about all of them. It wasn't Percy though and she knew that. It was the First, having taken over his body to use as its own. Giles needed to know about Percy, but after learning that Giles and Diana both knew about the scythe and wanted to keep the information from her and Faith, she wasn't so sure if they knew about Percy yet or not.

It didn't make sense that they hadn't run across one vampire in the last two hours. Something was brewing and she wasn't sure if it was because the local vamp and demon population knew about the First being in town or not. Whatever it was, she knew it wasn't normal. Even on the slowest of slow nights she always ran into a least one newbie vamp fresh out of the grave. There wasn't even any newbie vamps out and Buffy found herself sadly disappointed.

"What do you say we take another run around town, see if we run into Angel," Faith said as she stood up and held her hand out to Buffy. "Come on, B. We can't just give up."

"I'm not giving up," Buffy sighed. "I'm resting for a minute. It's been a really long day, Faith. I'm tired and I'm tired of feeling so damn tired all the time."

"Slayers don't get tired."

"I do," Buffy said and groaned softly as Faith pulled her to her feet. "I'd blame it on getting older, but technically I'm not getting any older."

Faith laughed and started to walk down the street, intertwining her fingers with Buffy's as she pulled her along. "It's pretty fucked up, this whole sitch, ain't it? Thought we'd all be freakin' out over it by now."

"Oh I'm freaking out," Buffy said and she let go of Faith's hand as they came to a stop in the middle of the street. "I just want to know what's going on here. I want to know why Dawnie isn't here and how to get her back, and I want to know what the hell Angel is doing with _my_ scythe and why it just disappeared on me like that when Willow sent me here."

"So?" Faith said as she motioned for her to keep walking. "Let's go find it. Don't let the fact that you're tired stop ya, B. Ain't nothing ever stopped you before. Hell, I remember when I came back to SunnyD to help you all fight the First, the Bringers, and the Turok-Han, how tired you were, but that didn't stop you from doing what needed to be done."

"It was different then."

"How?"

"I don't know," Buffy frowned. "It just is. Everything is just so..."

"Different and fucked up and not to mention the fact that Dawnie doesn't fuckin' exist," Faith muttered and she groaned as Buffy walked back over to the curb and sat down. "B, come on, you know we'll figure all of this out. It's only been a day, not even a whole day. Can't expect answers in less than twenty-four hours, can ya?"

"No, I guess not."

"Come on," Faith said softly as she knelt down in front of her and reached for her hands. "We're gonna find your scythe tonight, okay? There's still loads of places we ain't checked out and I'm thinkin' we should go look for Spike. Got a feeling he kicked your ass and ran away like a coward 'cause he knows something he doesn't want you knowing."

"Maybe. Maybe not. He didn't actually kick my ass. He punched me, twice, and then threw me at the door of his crypt before he took off running."

"So, let's go give him what he fuckin' deserves. A proper ass kickin with a stake ready to go through his cold, dead heart until he starts telling us what he knows."

"And what if he doesn't actually know _anything_?"

"Spike? Oh he'll know something about what's goin' on here, B. With Angel, the First, hell he might even know where the scythe-"

"The vineyard," Buffy said, stopping her before she could say another word. "Let's go check there. That's where the scythe was originally before Caleb had the Bringers unearthing it from the stone it was in. What if it's back there?"

"Ya think Angel might be there guarding it or something?"

"Or something," Buffy said and she stood up and started down the street. "And Spike doesn't know anything, Faith. At least he doesn't know the things we _need_ to know right now."

"Can't we at least find him and kick him around a bit? This whole lack of vamp activity is making me wig. Feels worse than those months we spent doing fuck all back in Scotland."

Buffy only rolled her eyes and headed in the direction of the vineyard. Since it was just on the other end of town, she knew it'd take them far too long to walk there. She knew they needed a car, but that was a problem. If this version of her seventeen year old self was anything like before, she didn't even _have_ a license.

"We need a car," she said to Faith.

"And I know just where to get one."

"We're not _stealing_ one."

"Who said we gotta steal one, B?" Faith laughed and she motioned up the street. "House I came outta earlier, my parents' place I guess, there were three cars parked in the driveway when I left. One of these keys gotta be for one of the cars," she said as she pulled out a keychain with several keys on it. "I dunno about you, but I've known how to drive since I was twelve. Never had a license before, but that's never stopped me."

"And that'll be a story you'll have to tell me sometime. God, sometimes I think I know you, but I really don't, Faith."

"Sometimes I don't even know myself, but it doesn't matter now. Everything is different here. Kind of like a fresh start only it's like we're suffering from amnesia or some shit."

"It's not the point. Look, let's just get a car and get to the vineyard. If we don't find anything there, we'll call it a night and talk to Giles in the morning, find out what he and Diana know that they aren't telling us. And I hate when you do this."

"Do what, B?"

"Close yourself up," Buffy replied softly.

"Ain't ever been easy for me to talk about myself. You know that. It's not a trust thing, if that's what you're wondering. It's a _me_ thing."

"So you trust me?"

"Told ya I loved you, didn't I? Ain't ever told anyone that before in my life. I trust you with my whole fuckin' heart, B, I just-I can't talk about myself or who I used to be 'cause I'm not that Faith anymore. Being here right now, I don't even know who I am anymore. Kind of wigging me out and then some and this whole lack of vamp activity is getting to me too."

"The last time you said that it was just before the Neqa'el showed up. You realize you just jinxed it again?" Buffy asked, a teasing smile forming as Faith groaned and threw her hands up in the air. "And I know how hard it is for you to talk about yourself. I just keep hoping maybe it would be different now."

"Now that we're together?" Faith asked, smiling as she slipped an arm around Buffy's shoulders. "And we're good, right? Even now?"

"What, you expected me to forget how I feel about you over the course of a day, Faith?" Buffy asked with a small smile. "You know you've been my best friend for the last year. Sometimes I wonder why it took us so long to finally be friends. It's...easier than it was back in the beginning. I'm starting to see that we have a real chance to do things right now that we're here."

"By right you mean like dates and stuff?" Faith asked teasingly.

"Technically..." Buffy trailed off, flashing a teasing smile of her own right back at her. "If bad things would stop happening every time something good is going for me, then I'd ask you on a proper date. At this rate, we'll be together for a year before we go on one."

"Think we'd make it that long? I mean...this is the honeymoon period, right? That's what Kennedy called it a few times when she was tellin' me about her and Willow," Faith said and she shook her head. "Shit, can't believe she's not here. What you think really happened with them, B? Probably aren't even slayers or remember anything, right?"

"I don't know. Between Giles and Willow, we'll know more tomorrow."

Faith led the way towards her parents' house and pulled her keys out. She hit the button on the small remote and the alarm chirped for the black pickup truck parked at the end of the driveway. She grinned as she opened the passenger door for Buffy and slapped her ass before she hopped in.

"Just 'cause we ain't been on a real date doesn't mean I don't know how to treat ya right, B."

Buffy laughed and watched as she walked around and got into the driver's side. They didn't talk much on the drive across town to the vineyard, but there were a few looks exchanged, looks that made Buffy wish they didn't have to deal with all that they had to right now. As much as she wanted to talk to Faith, it was still hard to just talk to her. She didn't even know why it was so hard. Buffy was in love with her and Faith was in love with her too, things should just be easier between them and yet they weren't quite there yet.

Faith pulled the truck over when they reached the dirt road that lead to the vineyard. It was overgrown and looked as if a single vehicle hadn't driven down there in at least a decade. Faith reached under the seat and pulled out a thick curved knife, one that looked far too similar to the one Buffy had stabbed her with years ago. It made her stomach twist and when Faith looked at her, the grin on her face quickly disappeared.

"Shit," she said under her breath. "B, it ain't the same one."

"I know that. It's just..."

"We're over that, right? Look," Faith said as she lifted up her shirt, grabbed Buffy's hand, and placed it on her stomach. "The scar ain't even there anymore. It's like it never happened."

"It's _not_ like it never happened, Faith."

"Look, we're here now, so can we just not talk about this? We already went down this road, talked about how you gutted me for Angel and-"

"You know I never meant to! It was an accident, Faith."

"Buffy," she sighed as she dropped the knife onto her lap and grabbed both of Buffy's hands. "I _know_ that, but for a long time I thought you really did mean to gut me. Sure as hell felt like it. Look, I know we're not over the whole deal about what went down between us, but things are different now. Thought we agreed before just to move on from all that shit?"

Buffy groaned and got out of the truck and slammed the door behind her. She really didn't want to talk about what happened before and any time they did talk about their past, she tried to get out of it one way or another. Even with all that Faith did to her, to her friends, to Giles and her mother, she still felt guilty for pushing her away when Faith needed her most and the guilt was even worse when it came to knowing just how close she'd been to killing her.

Buffy walked down the dirt road and with every step she took, she felt the pull, the force she used to feel whenever she was near her scythe. It was there, she knew it was. She just had to get it.

Faith was keeping her distance too and it was bothering her, but she wasn't going to say a word. They were there to get her scythe, not to get into their past and drag stuff up she still wasn't ready to face and deal with. They said they were sorry for all the wrongs, all the mistakes, and all the bad that had gone on between them and that'd been enough for Buffy, enough to move on. She didn't want to take a giant leap backwards when they'd moved ahead, further than they ever had before.

"Looks deserted," Faith said quietly as Buffy came to a stop just before the dirt road went down the hill a little. "Think it's in there?"

"Can't you feel it?"

"You know I ain't ever been able to feel it as strongly as you could, B, that's why it was _your_ scythe."

"It's in there, I know it is."

"Well, what are we standing here for? Let's just go on in and get it."

"Wait," Buffy said in a hushed whisper as she pulled Faith back into the cover of the trees. "Bringers."

They watched a handful of Bringers walk across the field towards the seemingly deserted vineyard. Buffy wasn't too worried about having to fight them, she knew she could, it was just what and who else could be down there waiting for them. Bringers she could handle. Facing Angel and the First, she couldn't. They were there for a reason and she wasn't going to leave without it.

"Still wanna go in there and get your scythe, B?"

Buffy nodded and started down the hill, wishing she had more than just a stake in her jacket pocket to fight with. At least Faith had a knife, a weapon that would actually kill the Bringers. Buffy walked up to the door and kicked it open, the old wooden door flying off its hinges. The adrenaline was already beginning to flow through her, making that tired, sluggish feeling she had inside of her disappear. She glanced to her right as Faith joined her, both of them smiling as they headed for the stairs that led down to the cellar.

Buffy counted almost a dozen Bringers before they reached the middle of the stairs. Sure enough, the scythe was being dug out of the stone and Buffy found herself grinning and she hopped down the last few steps with Faith at her side.

Two Bringers turned to her right away, unsheathing their knives and coming straight at her. Buffy grabbed onto the wrist of the one closest to her and wrestled the knife from his hand while Faith used her own knife on the other, gutting him before he got too close.

"Let's kill 'em, get your scythe and get the fuck outta here before more show up, B," Faith said as she flashed a brilliant smile Buffy's way and jumped right into the middle of the crowd of Bringers now making their way towards them.

Fighting Bringers had never been hard, but it'd never been easy either. Buffy was itching for a good fight although she wouldn't admit it as easily as Faith. She grinned, feeling the adrenaline flowing strongly through her as her heart began to race and she sent one flying with a hard roundhouse kick to its chest. She quickly ducked the fist of another, spinning around until her back was to Faith's.

"Got us surrounded. There's too many of them," Buffy said quickly as she blocked a couple of fists and kicked the Bringers coming at her away.

"Ain't no such thing as too many, B. Just watch my back, I'll watch yours and we'll kill every last one of these fuckers."

They moved almost effortlessly, fighting off the Bringers as they circled them. Buffy heard the neck snap as Faith grabbed onto one of the Bringers' head. She turned for a split second and watched as Faith used the dead Bringer's body to push back the handful of them advancing on her. Buffy turned her attention back to the three moving quickly towards her and without moving away from Faith, she used the knife on the first one, send the second stumbling backwards with a hard right hook to the jaw and the third she grabbed onto, using it to block a fourth as it charged towards her.

It was a fast-paced fight, not a second left to think and only a half a second to react to whatever was thrown her way.

Buffy felt Faith press her back more into her and for a moment she could feel how fast Faith's heart was beating, how steady it was, how its rhythm matched her own. She let her guard down just for that moment, just to feel Faith, to feel the energy coursing through her, the same adrenaline rush she was feeling herself. She didn't see the knife, but she sure felt it as it sliced across her right shoulder, ripping her jacket and sliding deep into her flesh.

"Buffy!" Faith yelled as she turned around at Buffy's pained gasp. She growled and killed the last two Bringers, repeatedly stabbing the one who'd cut Buffy's shoulder open. "Jesus christ, B, you okay?"

"I'll be fine," she gasped as she dropped the knife and clutched at her bleeding shoulder. "Are there any more?"

"Think that was the last of 'em," Faith sighed and she placed a hand over Buffy's shoulders, her eyes going wide as she felt the blood pool out between Buffy's fingers. "Shit, it's bad. We gotta get you to a hospital like now."

"We're not leaving without the scythe," Buffy said through gritted teeth as she tried to hold back the tears. Being cut never hurt so much before and normally a cut that deep she never felt since she'd normally go numb from the pain. The pain was almost too much and she could feel something running through her veins, making her whole body burn. "Something isn't right, Faith."

"She's right," Angel said as he stepped out from a stack of barrels. "Something isn't right."

"Angel," Faith growled as she stood by Buffy's side, ready for whatever move he'd make.

"That Bringer had poison on the blade of his knife," Angel said as he casually strolled over to the Bringer lying dead on the ground and picked up the knife. He grinned wickedly as he ran his finger over the edge of the blade. "Poison strong enough to kill a human with one little dose yet not quite strong enough to kill a slayer, just enough to take her down and outta the game for a little while."

"Forgetting one thing, Angel. There ain't just one slayer. There are two."

"I haven't forgotten. I did almost forget how damn gullible you really are sometimes though, Faithy. Believe just about anything, huh?" Angel laughed as he threw the knife to the floor. "You'd believe just about anything, wouldn't you?"

"The point being?"

"And let's not get started on Buffy here either," Angel smirked and he looked Buffy up and down, a dirty grin curling over his lips. "And your little group of friends, that Watcher of yours too. You all believed every last goddamn lie I told you."

Buffy gasped as she gripped harder on to her shoulder, trying to stop the blood from gushing out. The way Angel was acting, the way he was talking, she knew what he was, _who_ he was. It wasn't Angel.

"Angelus," Buffy said under her breath. "How are you-?"

"Alive?" Angel asked and he laughed again. "The First brought me back baby, only it left that idiot Angel back in Hell. Thought I'd be better suited for the plan. Gotta say, being human? Not all that it's cut out to be."

"Bein' human just means you feel the pain when say I gut you a minute from now," Faith said as she cocked her head to the side, flashing a cunning smirk his way. "Just 'cause your human now doesn't mean I don't wanna kill you. I would in a second if it weren't for B here not wanting me to get blood on my hands again."

"You are a killer, Faith. That's not ever going to change for you. You might think you're all reformed now, but that redemption crap Angel fed you before, it was just that. A load of crap."

"I ain't like that anymore and why the hell are we standing here talking? We're gonna get what we came for," Faith said and she moved forward, barely making it three steps before Angel waved a hand and she was sent flying backwards from an unseen strong force of magic. "Fuckin' hell," Faith groaned as she lay slumped on the floor by the stairs. "B, forget the fuckin' scythe and let's get the hell outta here."

"Yes, Buffy, forget the scythe, _your_ scythe and get the hell outta here," Angel mocked and he moved quickly, grabbing Buffy by the hand she held to the wound on her shoulder and grinned. "Deep, isn't it? Bet it hurts like hell too."

"Fuck you," Buffy said through gritted teeth, feeling the tears well up in her eyes as she looked away from him.

"The funny thing is that never actually happened here. Crazy how things get when you start meddling with fate and the power of wishes and all that crap," Angel said and he ran a hand over Buffy's cheek. "Gonna cry, Slayer? You feel the poison draining you, eating at you, making your whole body feel as if it's on fire. Bet this'll hurt too."

Angel gripped her shoulder hard, harder than any normal human being could and she screamed as she tried to get away from him as he pressed a few fingers into the deep wound. Buffy felt faint as she struggled against him. The look in his eyes was that of pure evil and it scared her, it scared her more than it should've and she knew it was because it was Angel's eyes-empty, dark eyes she was looking into. Angel backhanded her, making her see stars beyond the tears that began to fall. He blew her a kiss and hit her again, causing her head to snap back.

The last thing she heard before she fell into the blackness was Faith crying out for her.

* * *

Faith was in pain and she struggled to get up from the floor. Her shoulder was dislocated and her whole body felt like it did when she'd gone down during the fight against the Neqa'el. Angel was hovering over Buffy's body, snickering as he kicked at her side. She was out cold and her shoulder was bleeding hard. Faith used the wall for leverage as she tried to pop her shoulder back into place.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill you," she snarled as she pushed herself off the wall and picked up her knife from the floor. "Got news for you too, I ain't gonna do it quickly either. It's gonna be long and painful and you're gonna feel every fuckin' second of it."

"You can't kill me."

"Sure I can."

"That's where you're wrong. I might appear to be human, but I'm really not. I'm not dead either. I'm above it all. Stronger too. It feels good. Great even. Such a shame you took their side in the end, isn't it? You and me, we could've had fun. We could've been a team, working to fight the good in this world and make it _his_," he said and he pointed towards the ugliest looking demon Faith had ever laid eyes on. "That's right, Faithy, you're looking at the First Evil in the flesh. Gotta thank ol' Percy for that. He's the one who broke the curse, found a spell to bring him here as he is now. Percy sacrificed himself. Who knew the kid had it in him."

Faith could feel her hand shaking as she gripped the knife hard, but she kept her distance and kept her eye on the demon-the First as it slowly made its way towards Angel. She was more worried about Buffy and the amount of blood she was losing than Angel and the First.

His tone was so cold it cut right through her with every word he said. "Lookin' a little shaky there, _Faithy_."

"Fuck you."

"Original," Angel laughed and he snapped his fingers at the First, making him stop in its tracks. "We can't take them now, you know that," he said and the First only growled, its eyes glowing red as it stared Faith down. "It isn't time!" Angel yelled as he spun around. "You are the one who came up with this plan and you brought me into this plan and we're gonna make sure we stick to the damn plan, understand?"

"You can have a little taste," the First growled as it brought out a scaled tongue and hissed at her. "I know you're just _dying_ for a taste."

"I am, but it's not the plan. We're sticking to the plan. It'll be sweeter in the end."

Faith slowly made her way towards Buffy, never allowing her eyes to drift away from the First and Angel. She felt her heart leap into her throat as she saw the pool of blood at Buffy's side, but she couldn't panic now. She gripped her knife harder, feeling the tips of her fingers go numb and she lunged at Angel, thrusting the knife towards his heart.

"What the fuck?" Faith gasped as the knife bent instead of sliding into his skin as it should have.

"I told you I wasn't human," Angel chuckled as he turned around and wrapped his hands around her neck, holding her tightly but not hard enough to choke her. "I could kill you right now, you know that? I could snap your neck like its nothing more than a twig. But I won't. Not now. I'll save it for the big finish. Oh, and just so you know, the scythe? Completely useless this time around. You see, Percy wasn't just good for bringing the First back to its true form, he told us about the spell that witch used. There will be no potentials called into slayers this time around. You will have no army to back you up. You think you, your precious Buffy and your band of friends can stop him? Us? Think again."

Angel tightened his grip around her throat making breathing a rapidly growing issue. She gasped for air as she gripped at his hands, trying to pull them off of her.

"Just remember," Angel whispered, his grip tightening even more. "It's just begun and you're not gonna win. Not this time."

Faith closed her eyes as he let go of her neck and she fell to the floor hard. She kept her eyes closed as she listened to their footsteps descending up the stairs quickly and until she was sure they were alone, she opened her eyes and looked at Buffy lying still next to her, her breathing shallow and short. She took a few deep breaths, trying to get her breath back. She pulled off her jean jacket, ripped off the left sleeve, and tied a tourniquet around Buffy's shoulder, trying to stop the blood from flowing.

"Buffy?" Faith whispered as she brushed a few strands of hair away from her eyes and gently cupped Buffy's face with her hands. "Buffy, come on," she said shakily as she shook her a little. "Wake up, baby, please."

Buffy was still breathing in short, sharp gasps and when Faith moved her fingers to check her pulse she could feel how weak it was. Still trying not to panic, she picked Buffy up in her arms and moved as quickly as she could to get back to the truck. She placed Buffy carefully into the passenger seat and she wiped at the tears that were streaming down her cheeks angrily.

"Goddamnit, B, wake up," she said mostly to herself as she got into the driver's seat and slammed her hands against the wheel. "Poison. He said there was poison on that blade. Fuck. The hospital ain't gonna be able to help you, B, gotta take you to Giles, see what he can do. Just don't fucking die on me, you hear me? Don't fucking die."

"Faith?" Buffy groaned weakly as she tried to lift her head. "Faith, what happened?"

"He knocked ya out cold," she said quickly as she reached over for her and helped her sit up straight. "You're losing a lot of blood. Just stay awake, okay? Just stay awake, baby."

"Are we going to see Giles?" Buffy asked, her voice barely above a whisper as her head rolled to the side and she slumped up against the door, her head hitting the window with a loud thump.

"Yeah, we're going to see Giles," Faith sighed and she slipped the key in the ignition. "Just hold on, okay? We'll fix you. Everything'll be okay."

"You promise?"

"Yeah," Faith nodded, sounding as unsure as she felt. "Everything'll be fine, B."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Faith pounded on Giles door as she held Buffy in her arms. She'd driven from the vineyard as fast as she could, trying to keep an eye on Buffy and the blood still coming out yet not nearly as much as it had been before. She had no idea how much blood she'd lost, it was a lot, but she was still semi-conscious, slipping in and out, struggling to hold on.

"Come on, Giles, open the fucking door," Faith said as she started pounding on the door again. She heard him coming and the sound of him unlocking the door.

"What happened?" He asked as soon as he looked at Buffy. "What happened, Faith?"

"Bringers. I'll tell you after as soon as you stop the poison from going through her."

Faith carried Buffy inside and laid her down on the couch. Giles followed her quickly, grabbing the first aid kit from his desk on the way.

"Poison?"

"Angel said that one of the Bringers had poison on its blade. Played a little slice and dice with B. She's lost a lot of blood, but I know it's not what's making her like this. I don't think the hospital can help her right now. Angel said it was enough to kill a normal human being but not enough to kill a slayer. They wanted her out of the game."

"Angel was there?"

"Giles, right now I need you to focus on Buffy. She's fucking _dying_. Enough with the questions!"

"Stay with her, try to get her to wake up. I need to make a phone call," he said and he moved quickly to the phone on his desk.

"B?" Faith said as she ran a hand over Buffy's cheek. "Open your eyes," she whispered pleadingly, the lump in her throat getting tighter. She felt Buffy try to take a deep breath and she smiled when Buffy finally opened her eyes. "Hey."

"Hey. Are we at Giles'?"

"Yeah. How you feeling?"

"Really tired."

"Don't close your eyes," she said when Buffy's eyes started to flutter. "Stay with me. You gotta fight it, B."

Her skin was clammy, cold, and pale. Faith was trying not to panic, trying to keep it together, but it was ripping her apart and she wasn't strong enough to hold it together. She'd never worried about someone else so much in her life as she did in that moment and it was an emotion that completely went through her, threatening to rip her apart.

"Did you get it?"

"The scythe isn't important right now. You not dying kind of became a helluva lot more important than anything else."

Buffy stayed quiet and it was so clear she was struggling not to give into the pain. Faith leaned down and kissed her. She felt Buffy kiss her back and she had to pull away as the tears slid down her cheeks. Buffy reached up with her hand and wiped them away, smiling just a little up at Faith as she moved her hand to the back of her neck and pulled her back down for another kiss.

"I'm not gonna give up," Buffy whispered against her lips before she let go of Faith's head and let her move back again. "And I'm not gonna die, Faith. Been there done that, so not fun."

Faith laughed, well half laughed and half sobbed as she reached for Buffy's hand. Giles was still on the phone, talking quickly to whoever it was on the other end. Faith wasn't even sure how long they'd been sitting there before Willow came running in and ran right to the couch.

"What happened?" Willow asked breathlessly as she hovered her hands over Buffy's wounded shoulder. "Faith, she's got poison in her. What the hell happened?!"

"Fix her," Faith said softly. "Stop her from bleeding out. She's lost a lot of blood, Willow."

"Giles said on the phone that the Bringers had some kind of poison on the blade?" Willow asked and Faith could only nod as she moved back from the couch and watched as Willow began chanting under her breath, a soft white light emanating from her hands as she tried to use magic to close the deep gash on Buffy's shoulder. "I can feel it," Willow said as she untied the tourniquet from Buffy's shoulder and ripped her jacket and shirt away from where the wound had just been. "I feel the poison in her, but I can't get it out. She won't bleed out though, but if we don't do something soon the poison might kill her."

"It won't. Angel said it was strong enough to kill a human but only strong enough to take a slayer outta the game for a while."

"Angel?" Willow asked, gasping as her eyes went wide. "So we really can't trust him, can we?"

"No. He's not really Angel. Not really Angelus. He's something else."

"What is he?"

"I don't know," Faith sighed and she looked down at Buffy as she struggled to sit up straight on the couch. "B, just relax, okay?"

"Get it out of me," she cried out painfully as Faith tried to push her back on the couch to keep her from sitting up.

"Fuck," Faith groaned as she looked at Willow. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

"I don't know. I could try something to slow it down, but I don't know if it'll work," Willow replied shakily. "Giles?"

"Diana is on her way," he replied. "She has a few books that might help us."

"How the hell are a few books gonna help us, help her? She's been fucking poisoned, Giles!" Faith yelled and she moved away from the couch and began pacing the floor. "Willow, try _something_ to stop the poison from going through her."

"Faith?" Buffy asked weakly as she reached out for her. "Don't leave me here alone."

"You aren't alone, Buffy, I'm right here with you too," Willow said as she knelt next to the couch and took a few deep breaths. Even Faith could see that she was trying not to cry.

Faith felt like she was suffocating, but she didn't want to leave Buffy's side for too long. Giles was back on the phone, calling god knows who else and she felt the room start to spin around her. Without a word, she walked out and stood by the front door, leaving it open an inch as she lit a cigarette. She spotted Xander walking towards the apartment and he looked as worried as they all were.

"Giles called," Xander said, sounding a little winded as if he'd run the whole way there. "What happened, Faith? And skip the part about the poison. I already heard about that part."

"Bringers. We went to the vineyard. Buffy knew the scythe would be there. Guess we didn't think that there'd be Bringers there, or Angelus-or whatever the hell he is now-and the First in its true form. Ugly fucker if you ask me."

"Angelus? What are you-so we were right? He isn't Angel?"

"Far from it. Thinkin' he's indestructible too. Tried to stab him, bent my blade."

Every word out of her mouth sounded distant, cold. Xander blinked and pulled her away from the door. "Faith, we're gonna beat this thing," he said softly. "Buffy'll be okay."

"Yeah," she sighed and she looked up at the sky for a moment. "Buffy isn't the only one I'm worried about right now. Wondering how we can get Angel outta the picture. Got a feeling he's gonna be nothing but a fuckin' thorn in all our sides."

"There's always a way," Xander replied with a forced smile. "It's what we all do best, right? Figure out how to fight the good fight and come out on top in the end."

"So, the Slayer is down and out for the count?" Spike asked as he stepped out from behind the shadows, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "News travels fast in this town."

"Spike," Xander said and he reached for the stake he had in his jacket pocket. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just heard about the Slayer, is all," he shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled the cigarette from his lips and grinned. "Heard a few other things too. Came to see for myself."

Faith eyed him, watching as he kept his distance, kept to the shadows and only stepped under the light from the porch just enough for them to see him. She remembered a few vague stories about Spike and from what she remembered, he wasn't actually around in this frame of time. What she wanted to know was what he was doing there in Sunnydale and more importantly, why he was there now.

"Get out of here, Spike," Xander said as he held the stake firm in his hand.

"Gonna make me, are ya?" Spike asked, leering at Faith as he licked over his lips. "Don't worry, luv, I'll come back for you. Both of you. That is," he laughed as he took a step back, "if Angel and the First haven't taken you all out first."

Faith grabbed on to the back of Xander's jacket before he could take off after Spike. "Don't," she said under her breath as she shoved Xander towards the door. "He'll kill you and you know that. Let me and B take care of him and you stay the fuck out of it. I ain't letting you go get yourself killed or worse."

"What's worse than getting killed?"

"I'm thinkin' being a vamp for one," Faith replied and she tossed her cigarette to the ground and used the heel of her boot to crush it out. "Look, Xand, Spike is playing with us and after finding out what side Angel is on, I wouldn't doubt for a fuckin' second that Spike is playin' on their side."

"You're right. How you think Buffy is doing?" Xander asked as he motioned inside. "The poison won't kill her, will it?"

"No. It's not strong enough to kill her, but it looks like it hurts like a bitch."

"Yeah, I'm betting it does," Xander said and he sighed heavily as he shook his head. "You know what I found out tonight? A whole lot of shit that's gonna blow your mind."

"Like what?"

"Maybe not blow your mind in the blown sense, but it's thrown me for a loop."

"Don't make me guess, Xand."

"Oz ain't in the loop for one thing," he said and he laughed bitterly. "Ran into him earlier. Didn't know who the hell I was. Gonna take a wild guess and say that he and Willow aren't together here."

"Not getting the whole mind is being blown part here," Faith said and she rolled her eyes. "Give me something else."

"Anya is around. _Very_ around, as in the naked in my bed around. The killer?" Xander said quickly and laughed again. "She knows about the wish. She knows about before and she knows about now. Told me to slap you for being careless too and then hug you since she's got a second chance to live."

Faith couldn't help but laugh at that. Anya hadn't been her favourite person, but she'd always appreciated her bluntness. "So, I take it you're happy she's around then, Xand? Finally gonna get the regular sex you been lacking the last while?" Faith asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him and laughed as she caught him blushing. "Anya could be a real help here, couldn't she?"

"Yeah, she could be, but she's kind of shaken up being pulled outta hell all of a sudden less than twenty four hours ago. She was hit by a wave of memories from here. Keep wondering why that's not happening for any of us."

"Talk to Giles about it 'cause I'm the wrong one, Xand. Kinda got a lot on my mind right now."

"You know we'll figure everything out, Faith."

"I know. Not soon enough though. Everything is all too much, you know?"

"I know," Xander said, nodding his head as he pushed open the door. "Giles! We gotta talk."

Faith sighed and followed him inside, walking right back over to the couch where Willow was chanting softly as she let her hands hover over Buffy's chest. Buffy was shaking, breathing hard and small beads of sweat were rolling down her forehead as she tried to keep her eyes shut tight. Willow gasped and moved away from Buffy, looking weak and completely drained.

"I-I can't do anymore. I'm not strong enough," Willow sobbed as she collapsed on the floor, Xander running to her side in an instant. "I got some of it out of her I think. I'm sorry."

"You tried, Will," Xander said softly as he helped her up onto the chair. "All that matters is that you tried."

"B?" Faith said as she sat on the edge of the couch and placed her hand over Buffy's cheek. "Babe? Open your eyes," she said shakily, trying so hard to keep her emotions in check. She let out a breath of relief when Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she managed a small smile. "How you feelin' now, B? Willow tried to get the poison out of you."

"It hurts...less. That's good, right?"

"Yeah," Faith smiled and she leaned down to kiss her softly. "Definitely good. Be better if its outta ya completely. Willow, how long before you can try again?"

"It'll be awhile," she groaned weakly. "Maybe I'll try in the morning."

Faith stayed with Buffy, not bothering to listen to the conversation Giles, Xander, and Willow were having. Buffy didn't look so pale anymore, but she was weak and it showed in her eyes just how much of her strength had been sucked away from the loss of blood and the poison still pumping through her veins.

"Told you I wouldn't die," Buffy said softly, cracking a smile as Faith shook her head and let out choked laugh. "I don't give up so easily."

"Good 'cause I wasn't gonna let ya give up," Faith replied, smiling right back at her.

Faith moved her torn jacket and shirt aside, making sure that Willow had closed the wound. The only trace was the blood that still saturated her skin and her clothes and a thin jagged pink line from where the knife had slashed her. She could feel the heat of her skin as she trailed her fingers over the new scar and she fought back the urge to kiss her again.

Faith was beyond exhausted now, just as much as Buffy and the others were. All she wanted was for the day to be over, but from the looks of things, it was far from over yet. She jumped up from the couch when Diana came inside carrying a bag full of books. Faith sat back down on the couch next to Buffy while the others went through the books Diana had brought over. After an hour, she found it hard to keep her eyes open and Buffy was already sleeping, her breathing steady and still a little shallow, but not as worrisome as it had been before.

Xander yawned loudly and dropped the book he was reading to the floor causing Faith to turn her attention on the others inside of a sleeping Buffy right by her. He mouthed "sorry" before he picked up his book and went back to reading, his eyes closing before he could even turn the page.

"You guys finding anything? Any other way to get this poison outta her other than magic?" Faith asked.

"We'll have to wait for Willow to regain her strength by morning," Giles replied tiredly. "We've been looking into the why's and how's when it comes to Angel's invincibility."

"What you two did tonight was rather foolish," Diana said, her tone clipped as she stared right at Faith. "I did not train you to act irrationally, Faith. One of you could've been killed tonight."

"Well we weren't so get over it."

"Faith!" Diana yelled, her eyes fuming as she stood up from the chair at Giles' desk and slammed her hands down hard on top of the pile of books. "I have been made all too aware of the situation from Rupert. I know what you all have gone through and what things were like before, but you must understand that things are different now. Rupert and I are in charge, you and Buffy do nothing more than follow orders from us and the Council."

"Fuck the Council. What good has it ever done for us, huh?" Faith asked as she stood up from the couch and glared at Diana. "Yeah, that's right. You can't even _tell_ me 'cause far as I'm concerned, the Council is just as bad and the baddies we fight day in and day out. We aren't following your orders, Diana. We know you both knew about the scythe and how you were planning to get it yourselves without even telling us!"

"Faith, calm down," Diana said slowly as she approached Faith with caution. "There is a reason why we kept it from you two. We didn't want something like this happening to either of you."

"Too late for that now."

"We were hoping to distract the First and Angel long enough for Rupert and I to get the scythe-"

"You wouldn't have been able to get it," Buffy said softly and she struggled to sit out, groaning in pain as she did. "Only a slayer can pull it from the stone it's in."

"Not unless you've used the correct magic to extract it," Giles cut in and he frowned at the disapproving look on Buffy's face. "We had a plan, Buffy, a plan that wouldn't have turned out like this. We're trying to fix this mess, end it once and for all. We both knew you two wouldn't be cooperative which is why we-"

"How do you know that?" Buffy asked, her voice rising slightly as she got to her feet. "How do you know we weren't going to cooperate, Giles? All you had to do was tell us what's going on! We're not fucking children!"

"B," Faith said gently as she grabbed onto her and held her so she could stay standing.

"I know you know what happened to Dawn!" Buffy said through clenched teeth as she gripped onto Faith's arm a little too tightly. "I know you know, Giles. Ever since we got here you've done nothing but keep things from us, from me. Tell me."

"She doesn't exist here in this world, not yet, possibly not ever since fate has been changed which means Glory will never end up here in this world and looking for a way back. There will be no need for her, Buffy."

"No, I'm not gonna accept that as an answer."

"The only ones who can bring her here are the monks who made her before," Giles continued, keeping his voice steady despite the fact that he looked shaky. "I've already tried contacting the monastery, but not one of them there would speak with me."

"Uh guys?" Willow said quietly from where she sat by Xander. "Can't we deal with one thing at a time here?"

"No!" Buffy yelled at her and Faith could feel her growing weak as she tried to stay standing. "I want Dawn back. We _need_ her back. I don't care about anything else right now besides getting Dawn back and getting my scythe."

"Angel said it was useless," Faith said and she shook her head when Buffy glared at her. "B, it's useless. Why do you want it? I mean I get it, it's a kick ass weapon and all-"

"He's lying. It's not useless. Couldn't you feel it? Feel the power? It feels stronger than it did before. Just standing by it, I could feel it like it was holding it in my own two hands. We need to go back for it, Faith. We need to before it gets destroyed."

"Uh guys? One more thing?" Willow said and she grabbed a book off the coffee table and flipped through it quickly. "It says in here that the scythe cannot be destroyed until the power is released from it. I'm thinking the power it's referring to is the spell I used to call forth the potentials as slayers. We need to do it again and soon. We have no idea what kind of army the First has waiting for us."

"Whatever army it does have, looks like Angel is running the show," Faith replied and she groaned in frustration. "Let's just get this poison out of Buffy, figure out how to get the scythe back and then we'll figure out how to make Dawn exist again. The First and whatever fuckin' army he has is gonna have to wait. If the First don't like it, then bring it on, we'll fight it. It's one big nasty lookin' demon now and last I checked all demons are pretty killable."

"Unless he's invincible like Angel," Xander pointed out. "It, _it_!" He quickly corrected himself.

"Diana?" Giles said as he turned to her. She'd been quiet during the last few minutes, just standing there watching everything unfold. "Place a call to the monastery. Make one of the monks talk and explain to him everything that I've told you about what they did before. Xander, Willow? You two go home and get some rest. We'll meet back here in a couple of hours and go from there."

"Giles, what about me and B?"

"You two are going to stay here for the night. I want to keep an eye on Buffy. We still don't know what is in the poison that is in her. I will run some tests. Any traces of the poison will surely be in the blood she's lost."

"And you expect us to sleep where?" Faith asked and she groaned when Giles only fumbled with his glasses and started wiping them with his shirt. "Are we taking your bed upstairs or this wicked uncomfortable couch?"

"Spare room across the hall from the bathroom," he said as he pointed down the hallway. "Get some rest. God knows you both need it."

"What about you?" Faith asked, unmoving from the spot she was standing. "You gonna push yourself the rest of the night, go a whole day and then some without any rest, Giles? We both know you work better with a fresh mind. Maybe we should all just get some sleep tonight?"

"She's right, Rupert," Diana said as she took a deep breath. "We should just get some sleep. You said so yourself, the poison isn't nearly strong enough to kill Buffy. Faith will watch over her tonight and alert either of us if her condition worsens."

Faith had to practically carry Buffy to the spare room, looking forward to getting into bed and finally getting some sleep. She was disappointed when she saw the bed in there, a twin sized mattress on the floor. Groaning in annoyance, she laid Buffy down gently and helped her take off her bloodstained jacket. She looked at her shirt and knew there was no way in hell she could let Buffy sleep in a shirt that was mostly soaked in her blood and she pulled it off easily before forcing Buffy to lay back.

"Faith?" Buffy whispered as she pulled the covers over her once she'd kicked off her shoes.

"Yeah, B?" Faith asked as she pulled off her boots, what was left of her jacket and leaned up against the small windowsill. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said and she stared at her, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm so scared, Faith."

"Scared of what?" Faith asked. "Of what's gonna happen with Angel and the First?"

"Of everything. I thought maybe with the wish, we'd come back here and everything would be...easier, more normal, but it's hard. It's harder than it's ever been before and we've only been here for barely a day!"

"It'll get easier, B," Faith said, barely believing the words herself. She moved to lie next to Buffy on the small mattress and wrapped her arms around her. "Don't know how or when, but it's gotta, right?"

"Hopefully."

"Today really spun my head," Faith said softly and she smiled a little when Buffy snuggled into her side causing her to tighten her hold on her just a little more. "Does it feel real yet?"

"What?"

"Does being here make this feel real yet, B?"

Buffy nodded after a minute, understanding what Faith was talking about. "You feel real," she whispered against the side of her neck, brushing her lips over Faith's pulse point. "That's all I'm sure about right now is you, Faith."

Faith closed her eyes, feeling it impossible to stay awake any longer. She felt Buffy kiss her neck a few times, so lightly she barely felt it, but she heard the words as they fell from Buffy's lips in a breathy whisper.

"I love you."

And she was out, succumbing to the pull of sleep, feeling herself slipping further and further with every breath she felt Buffy take.

* * *

Giles went through each book Diana had brought several times throughout the night. When the sun started to rise, he leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was tired, beyond tired, and they hadn't gotten any closer to finding any solid answers. The poison in Buffy would be easily extracted with the use of Willow's magic as soon as she'd rested up. Things with the First and Angel were inconclusive as there was no information on how it was possible for Angel to be as he was now and for the First to have the ability to take corporeal form.

"I've gotten through to the monks at the monastery," Diana said as she hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. "It appears they know how to bring Dawn forth. They've already been working on it for months now. They inform me that the only way to speed up the process if for them to get a drop from each slayer in order for them to make Dawn human."

"Excuse me?" Giles asked, blinking as he stared over at Faith's Watcher. "They did not need the blood of both slayers before."

"They insured me that they did use it before."

"So, they are aware of the changes caused from Faith's wish?" Giles asked and Diana only nodded her head slowly. "Will it help bring Dawn forth quickly if they get the drop they need?"

"We cannot send them tainted blood," Diana said and she shook her head. "We must get the poison out of Buffy before we can. They also informed me that they might just have some information on the First that we could use. Information that doesn't read out like riddles and turn us around in circles. We are to go to the monastery by tomorrow night. The monk I spoke with informed me they are about to move on to the next location. They fear their lives because of the First."

"I wonder who or what else knows about this wish," Giles said and he received a clueless look from Diana as she joined him by his chair in the living room. "It could be dangerous if this information falls in the wrong hands."

"And if it does, what do you suspect will happen, Rupert?"

"I honestly do not know," he replied with a shrug. "Would you care for a cup of tea, Diana?"

"That would be lovely. Willow and Xander should be returning shortly. We'll let the girls sleep in until they arrive."

"God knows they need their rest," Giles said under his breath as he made his way to the kitchen to put the kettle on. "We all need our rest especially since we have no idea what's coming when it concerns the First and Angel."

"Agreed."

Giles sighed as he filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. He could very faintly hear the giggling coming from the spare room and he couldn't help but smile. It was a sure sign Buffy was feeling a lot better than she had been a few hours before and it was also a sign that she and Faith would make it through this unscathed.

At least he hoped so. He knew if anything happened between them, it'd rip them both apart and he wasn't sure either would be able to handle that kind of heartbreak after everything they'd been through.

* * *

Buffy tried to slap Faith's hands away, but her fingers were relentless as she tickled her ribs. Buffy still felt the poison in her, but she could feel her strength coming back and fighting it off. She'd woken up with her head on Faith's chest and her fingers hooked on the belt loop of her jeans. She'd woken Faith up with a few light kisses over the tops of her breasts and it somehow turned out into an all-out tickle war.

"Faith, stop," Buffy cried out, wriggling underneath Faith as she tried to pin her body to the small mattress. "Baby, stop!"

"Say the magic word, B."

"What magic word?"

Faith wiggled her eyebrows and stopped tickling her. "Well, at least you're feeling better now, huh?"

"Much," she smiled back at her and raised a hand to push Faith's hair behind her shoulders. "One problem."

"Hmm?

"I need something to wear. So not looking forward to putting that back on," Buffy said as she pointed to her bloody shirt and jacket lying on the floor. "And no, I'm not walking out of here with just a bra on either, Faith. I know what you're thinking."

Faith laughed and leaned down for a soft, sweet kiss. "I'll find you something, babe. You wanna get up now or ya wanna try to see how long we can get away with "sleeping"? Pretty sure Giles won't come in here."

"How are you so sure about that? It is his place."

"He ain't stupid, B. He knows we ain't had much time alone together in the last couple of days."

"Oh ew, Faith!" Buffy groaned as she pushed her off roughly. "I really don't want to think about Giles thinking about us having sex!"

"Well, good thing we aren't actually having sex right now."

"Right because _that_ would've just killed it," Buffy said as she rolled her eyes and sat up slowly, stretching out and feeling her tired muscles protest a little at the movement. "I can still feel that poison inside of me. It's definitely not as bad as last night though."

She sighed softly when she felt Faith's fingers trail up and down her spine slowly. Just being near Faith made her feel safe, it made her feel strong and it's all she needed right now was to feel that way in order to fight the effects the poison was having on her. Having a few hours of sleep had helped calm her thoughts down even though they were still running rampant through her mind. It wasn't as dizzying as it had been before and she was at least able to pick through the triage of thoughts, including the ones that were telling her to ravish Faith even if her body wasn't fully up to it at the moment.

_Stupid teenage hormones_, Buffy thought and she couldn't help the laugh that slipped out right after. "How about you find me a clean shirt, Faith?"

"Now?" Faith groaned. "Come on, B. It's early. Doubt Giles is actually gonna wake us up yet."

"After that tickle attack I'm sure he knows we're already awake."

"Damn, whose idea was that anyway?"

"Not mine!" Buffy laughed as she laid back down next to her. "I never thought I'd get used to this," she whispered as she wrapped an arm around Faith and laid her head down on her shoulder.

"You mean this as in you using me as a pillow?"

"A very warm Faith-shaped pillow," Buffy murmured and she kissed her shoulder, almost feeling Faith smile when she did. "But not just this," she said softly as she lifted her head to look up at Faith. "I mean us in general. It feels so good, so right, Faith, and it feels like this is the way it should've always been. It almost feels like this isn't as new as it is. And this conversation is probably way too heavy of a talk to be having right now."

"Got that right. Plus you aren't in tiptop condition right now, B. There's too much going on and I think the last thing we should be focused on is us."

"Why? Isn't it important to you?"

"Fuck," Faith groaned. "It is important, Buffy. Believe me, it is, but we're okay right? We don't have to worry about anything when it comes to you and me. You know I love you, I know you love me, so let's just deal with everything else and then we'll focus on the "us" part."

"Does it bother you?" Buffy asked and Faith shrugged, looking confused. "Does it bother you that I'm being clingy? I never thought I'd be so clingy with you, but I really can't help myself. You make me feel safe and strong, Faith."

"B?" Faith grinned as she kissed the top of her head. "It doesn't bother me. You can cling to me as much as ya want to. In fact, I like it. Feels good having you so close all the time. It scared me last night seeing you the way you were before Willow closed ya up and got most of that poison out of you. Thought I was gonna lose you. Fuckin' tore me up 'til I realized there ain't no way you'd give up even while walking the fine line between life and death. Makes ya wish we brought those outfits Andy had made for us along. Would've saved ya from getting sliced and diced last night."

Buffy laughed. "Why didn't we think of that until now?"

"Don't know, B. Why don't you go back to sleep for a while. I'll go find you a shirt and see what's the what with Giles and Di."

Buffy sighed and let go of her, watching as she got up from the mattress and pulled on her boots. As much as she didn't want to be alone, she knew that Faith needed to be for a little while and as much as it bothered her and hurt a little, she knew this was just Faith being Faith and she really had to start getting used to those little things. She buried her face into the soft pillow, smelling nothing but Faith as she started to drift off to sleep.

She didn't dream, just like she hadn't when she'd been asleep before. Everything was dark and it felt heavy. It was worse than a nightmare. At least when she had a nightmare she knew she was alive and dreaming. The never-ending darkness reminded her of death, a death far worse than any she'd experienced before. The last thought she had before slipping further into unconsciousness was that it had to be the poison still in her that was keeping her from dreaming.

Or maybe she was really dead or maybe everything was nothing but a twisted dream. But she knew it wasn't. The pain was all too real for it not to be real.

* * *

Faith paced the floor by Giles' desk, watching as he and Diana put together a few small ingredients for a spell they were claiming would pull the last bit of poison out of Buffy's body without leaving any irreparable damage.

Things were okay between them once Buffy had woken up, but Faith hadn't told her of the things she'd been saying while she slept. She didn't tell Buffy that she hadn't slept at all because she was scared, scared of the woman in her arms saying the things she was. She told Giles and Diana everything that she could remember Buffy saying as she slept, both of them telling her that Buffy was just delirious from the poison still inside of her.

Faith knew it wasn't that. It was so much more than that and she wanted to know just _what_ it was making Buffy say those things.

_"Stupid whore, you think you love me? You're in love with an image of me. What you see isn't what you get, bitch. You aren't good enough to love me. You'll never be good enough. The only thing you've ever been good as is being a screw up. You know that we aren't going to win this fight, not this time, not with you at my side thinking you're fighting the good fight. You aren't _good_, Faithy. You'll die from a broken heart before you die at the fist of the most powerful thing that walks this earth."_

Over and over she repeated it with the same disgusted hatred laced in her voice. It sent chills through Faith's body, not because of what was said, it was how it was said, said as if it was directed right to her. Said as if Buffy was awake and not saying these things while she slept. Said as if she truly meant every last word.

"She's delirious, Faith," Giles said quietly, sensing her troubles over the words that had come out of Buffy's mouth. "You know how she feels about you."

"Do I?"

"Don't doubt it," he said firmly as he stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from pacing and forced her to look at him. "Never doubt the way Buffy feels about you. Even I know how she feels. She needs you right now, Faith. Don't let the words that came to her in her sleep make you feel any differently about the reality of your relationship."

"And what is the reality of your relationship with Buffy?" Diana asked calmly as she stared up at Faith from where she sat. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Then don't let the words of a delirious woman under the influence on a mystical poison change how you feel or make you question what you have with her. "

Faith nodded, pushing Giles away from her and she headed for the front door. She ignored the questions of where she was going, ignored the orders for her to stay. She couldn't stay. She needed to get out of there. She needed her space. She felt like she couldn't breathe and knew if she stayed there that whatever was stirring up deep inside of her would come out.

And she knew if that happened, it wouldn't be pretty.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_What the fuck is going on_, Faith wondered as she drove through the streets of Sunnydale, no clear destination in mind, just needing to lose herself to the feel of the world slipping past her.

Before she realized it she was on the outskirts, heading north. She came to a stop at the side of the road and cut the engine off. Her hands were shaking as she got out of the truck and slammed the door shut behind her. A few cars drove past her and she crossed the road, heading for the small clearing in the woods. It seemed like a good place to think. It was quiet out there and far away enough from everything that it made it seem like she'd stepped into a completely different world.

What happened while Buffy had been sleeping made no sense to her, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew it _had_ to be the poison that was in her making her act that way. Of course she never told Buffy what she'd said or even acted as if anything was wrong. She didn't want her to worry about anything else on top of everything they were all already worried about.

"Fuck!" Faith yelled out as she bent down, picked up a few rocks, and threw them as hard as she could across the small clearing. She spun around to face the road when she heard the squeal of breaks as a car came to a stop behind her truck. "Great, what now?"

The windows on the car were blacked out and she knew it was a vampire, Spike more specifically. She'd know that car anywhere, that smell of stale smoke and booze hitting her even before she got too close. She walked around to the passenger side and got in quickly, shutting out whatever sunbeam dared creep inside.

"Been looking around for you," Spike said as his lips curled into a smile. "I know how to get Dawn back."

"Excuse me?"

"Dawn," Spike said slowly. "I know how to get her back."

"You better not be fuckin' with me, Spike. You know if Buffy was here and heard you talking shit, she'd kick your ass, probably stake you too."

"I shouldn't have to explain anything to you, Faith, but I remember from before. The other _before_," he said quietly and he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and offered one to Faith. "Only reason I clocked Buffy like that and ran was because I can't lie to her and she knows it. One minute I'm god knows where, the next I'm waking up in my old crypt right back in good ol' Sunnydale."

Faith sighed and grabbed the pack from Spike before he slipped it back inside his jacket pocket. He seemed to be telling the truth, but after Angel, she was being careful about trusting anyone, especially _him_. Spike did seek her out and last night when he'd shown up at Giles' something did seem a little off about him.

"What makes you think I believe a word you're saying?" Faith asked him once she'd lit the cigarette. It was stronger than the ones she was used to and it kind of hit her chest like a bag of bricks. "We all thought yesterday morning we could trust Angel and then it turns out he's on the First's side. How do I know you aren't?"

"What if I told you about what happened? Things that haven't happened here yet? Would you believe me then?" Spike asked and he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for her to respond. "How about I tell you about the time the Initiative put a damn chip in my head? Or how I went to Hell and back to get a soul for Buffy? What about burning up down in the Hellmouth after I fought on your side against the First and his army of Turok-Han?"

Faith sighed and cracked the window just enough to let the smoke billow out. "So, how does it feel to be...back? Alive would be the wrong word here."

"Feels like I never left," Spike laughed.

"Why didn't you just tell Buffy when she came looking for you last night? Might've been a helluva lot easier than to try to kick her ass and take off running like a scared little boy."

"At the time it seemed like a good plan," Spike shrugged. "Still had a lot to figure out myself. Is it just me or is being back here a complete mindfuck?"

"Definitely not just you."

"About Dawnie," Spike said quietly and he continued to drum his fingers on the steering wheel. "I could take you to the monks that made her before. Rumour has it they're already working on it."

"Yeah, we know about that."

"And is anyone actually making an effort to drive out to the monastery to meet with these monks?"

"They need blood," Faith replied. "Drop from me, drop from B."

"Makes sense. Dawn was made from Buffy before. Don't know where you come into the picture."

"Actually..." Faith trailed off, trying to wade her way through a fuzzy memory of those first few months in prison. "Last time, when I was in prison, I got a visit from a priest, a monk, whatever the hell he was. I'd just been in a fight and lost a bit of blood, had a broken hand and a concussion. Even though I was outta it and strapped to the bed in the infirmary, coulda sworn I was purposely pricked. Saw him with a vial before he left."

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered. "So the little bit was made from you both?"

"That's what I'm thinking."

"Buffy and the others know about this?" Spike asked and Faith shook her head no. "Don't you think you should tell them?"

"There's just too much going on right now to add one more thing into the fray, Spike."

"You're telling me," he said with a laugh and he seemed to relax a little bit as Faith laughed right back with him. "What do you say about taking a little drive?"

"Not in this piece of shit," Faith laughed as she looked around the car, the interior that had definitely seen far better days-and smelled better too. "Where is this monastery?"

"Few miles outside of town. We're close actually. Just get in your truck and follow me."

"And how the hell do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't and you won't unless you give it a shot. So what do you say, luv? Ready to get Dawn back?"

"Yeah," Faith nodded and found herself smiling a little. If she got Dawn back, everything would be okay and they'd be able to deal with Angel and The First without having to worry about her, wonder about where she was and how to get her back. "One thing," she said and sighed as Spike rolled his eyes. "When we get back, you tell the others what you just told me. They need to know we're not the only ones who came back like this. And you need to know I ain't happy about this sitch."

"This sitch?"

"Working with _you_ to get Dawn back. There's just one problem," Faith said. "They need a drop of Buffy's blood. Ain't gonna happen right now considering she's been poisoned."

"Got that covered," Spike replied and Faith glared at him. "Not like _that_, Slayer. I mean I got it covered in the sense that I have one-maybe several drops of non-tainted Buffy blood on what's left of the door to my crypt. Or we could just use this. Swiped it from the beloved Watcher."

Spike pulled out a small vial and showed it to her. there was definitely a little more than a few drops and Faith wasn't sure whether to be disgusted, relieved or pissed at the fact Spike was carrying a vial of Buffy's blood around. What Giles had been doing with a vial of Buffy's blood in the first place wasn't something she had time to worry about right now either. She had to do this for Buffy, for all of them, but mostly for Dawn. She groaned and took the vial from Spike, carefully sliding in into the front pocket of her jean jacket and reached for the door handle.

"You lead, I'll follow. You turn out to be on _their_ side, Spike, and my stake will go through your heart before you even know what's happening."

"You got my word, luv. I'm on _your_ side. I'd love nothing more than to see Angel gone for good, but we can't worry about that now, can we? First things first, we need to get Dawn back. Then you and I can have a little chat about you and Buffy."

Faith didn't say a word as she got out of the car and quickly walked over to her truck. She hopped in and waited for Spike to take the lead. She stayed close behind his car, following him to a dirt road he turned down. She looked ahead and saw the small monastery looming up ahead, situated on a hill and surrounded by trees. She felt a little wigged about the place, but she had to push that aside. The only thing that mattered to her right now was talking to these monks and making them find a way to bring back Dawn sooner rather than later.

Spike parked his car under the dark shade of the trees and Faith parked next to him. She got out of the truck and waited for Spike to get out. The sun was completely blocked out by the cover of the trees, but she knew that didn't mean he'd be able to get out without burning up. She knocked on the window and he cracked it a little.

"Go get the door open," he said and she saw him grab a heavy blanket from the backseat. "What's the hold up?"

"Still don't know whether to trust you or not."

"No better time to take a risk than right now, don't you think?"

Faith rolled her eyes and headed for the doors. They were locked but didn't stand a chance against a slayer. She kicked the doors open, sending them crashing into the walls and she motioned to Spike to come and he did. He ran as quickly as he could with the blanket wrapped around him and despite the heavy cover of the trees, he was still smoking a little bit.

"Bet you're wicked jealous Angel is able to be out in the sun, huh?" Faith smirked at the look of disgust on Spike's face as he tossed the blanket to the floor. "Let's go find these monks. Don't wanna waste any time here and no fucking around, you hear me, Spike?"

"Got my word, Slayer."

* * *

Buffy stood under the hot spray of water in the shower, her eyes closed, and her body still shaking, still weak from the poison that had been inside of her. Willow had managed, with Giles and Diana's help, to get the rest of the poison out of her. she had a sinking feeling they were all keeping something from her and the way Faith had been looking at her before she left her made her feel like something definitely had happened.

She didn't even know where Faith was. Giles told her she'd taken off hours before, telling Buffy that she'd been clearly upset and needed some time alone. Just knowing that Faith had taken off made her ache for her that much more. She _needed_ Faith there with her. She needed to feel her close, needed to feel the strength and the power she felt when she was nearby. The connection had been heightened between them since their first kiss and she missed it now, missed feeling that buzz that surrounded her, made her feel stronger than she ever felt before.

When the water started to turn cold, Buffy turned it off and stepped out of the shower. She grabbed the big white towel Giles had gotten for her before and wrapped it around her body, her muscles protesting every little movement she made. Her mother had come as soon as Giles called her, bringing with her a change of clothes. Buffy still couldn't face her, finding it far too surreal to see her mother alive again.

"Buffy?" Joyce called out as she knocked on the door. "Are you all right in there?"

"I'm fine, Mom."

"Would you like me to get you anything? A cup of tea? Giles just made a pot."

"No," Buffy said quietly, knowing her mother wouldn't be able to hear her. "No," she said again, louder as she grabbed her clothes that were sitting on the edge of the sink.

It took her a bit of effort to get dressed in the jean shorts and plain white t-shirt, but once she was, she slowly felt her strength starting to come back, her immune system working with the slayer essence inside of her to repair the damage the poison had caused in her body. She pulled back her wet hair into a loose ponytail as she walked out of the bathroom.

Giles, Diana, and her mother were sitting in the living room talking quietly when she walked in. Willow was still there, seated at Giles' desk, typing away on her laptop with her complete focus on whatever was on the screen. She walked over to Willow and stood beside her, looking down at the screen.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking up records," she replied quietly. "You know, records about us, trying to find out all I can."

"Didn't you already try that?"

"Yeah, but I have a feeling there's something I'm missing here," she said and she sighed as she looked up at Buffy. "Xander went to look for Faith," she said as if she almost read Buffy's mind before Buffy could ask her where Xander had gone off to. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better. I'd feel a whole lot better if Faith was here right now."

"I'm sure he'll find her, she couldn't have gotten far."

"She has a truck. She could be halfway to Mexico by now!"

"Buffy," Willow sighed and she shook her head as she tried to fight back the laughter. "Why would Faith go to Mexico?"

"I don't know. Running is what she does best, right? I mean in Scotland, she stayed because it was different there. Being back here...well you remember how often she'd take off without a word for days, sometimes a week or two on an end. She told me once that being in Sunnydale made her want to run and that it was worse here than anywhere else."

"But she won't run from _you_, will she?"

"I hope not. Things haven't been the greatest between us," Buffy whispered and she cast a weary look over at her mother. "And I don't think things will get any better when I tell her about Faith and me."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about? We haven't had sex in what, four days!" Buffy said a little too loudly and she felt her face flush as Giles cleared his throat rather loudly. "Shit," she said under her breath when she looked over at her mother and saw the look on her face as she walked over to Buffy and pulled her aside.

"You've been having sex, Buffy?" Joyce asked and she grimaced as she tried not to look at her. "I didn't know you've been dating anyone recently. Who is he?"

Buffy shook her head no, really not wanting to get into this conversation now. "It's nothing, Mom. I was just-there's nobody."

"Are you sure?"

"No," Buffy sighed softly, hating that it was so hard to lie to her mother when she never had a problem doing it before. "I don't think now is the time to talk about this."

"Are you still feeling weak from being poisoned?" Joyce asked, now more concerned about how Buffy was feeling rather that who she was sleeping with. "Maybe you should get some more rest, Buffy?"

"No, there's something I need to go and get. Something important."

"Something that is necessary?"

Buffy nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be okay and I won't be long."

Buffy didn't give her mother or any of the others a chance to stop her before she was out the door and quickly making her way out of the apartment complex. The walk to the vineyard would take her awhile and even though the idea of taking her mother's Jeep was appealing; she really didn't want to drive feeling the way she was. She made it a few blocks before she spotted Xander coming out of Willy's bar and she ran across the street, nearly scaring him as she walked up behind him.

"Xander, did you find Faith?"

"No, nobody's seen her. Are you out here looking for her too, Buff?"

"No, actually," she sighed and pointed to his car. "I need a ride. I'm going to get my scythe."

"You sure that's a good idea? Aren't you feeling-"

"I'm _fine_," she said firmly and dragged him to his car. "Just drive me to the vineyard, Xander. Please."

"And what about Faith?"

"Wherever she is, whatever she's doing, I'm sure she has her reasons," Buffy replied and she got in the car and groaned in annoyance as Xander hopped in the driver's seat and fumbled with the keys. "You know where she is, don't you?"

"No!" Xander squeaked out. "I honestly don't know where she is, Buff. Been out here looking for her for the last two hours before she does anything stupid. If I knew where she was, do you think we'd be sitting here discussing where she is right now?"

"Point. Can we just get to the vineyard so I can get my scythe, please?"

Ever since she'd woken up, everyone had been acting rather strangely around her. She wasn't sure why and she hadn't asked any questions, and she figured it'd be better if she just didn't know right now. She was more focused on getting her scythe back so they could figure out a way to rebuild their slayer army before the First brought forth an army of its own. Being back in Sunnydale in some kind of alternate universe wasn't bothering her anymore; it was finding a way to put an end to the First once and for all.

Buffy stared out the window, watching the buildings as they drove past, trying to free her mind of all the thoughts she had running through her head. Xander was grumbling under his breath as he kept his eyes on the road and came to a stop at a red light, which resulted in even more grumbling. Buffy rolled her eyes and stared out the window and she grabbed onto Xander's arm suddenly.

"Xander!" Buffy said loudly as she pointed across the street to a young woman in an alley. "That's Dawn!"

"What, where?" Xander said, looking where Buffy was, trying to see what she'd seen. "Are you sure, Buffy? Remember, Dawn doesn't exist here yet."

"I know it's her, come on!"

Buffy got out of the car and went running across the street, dodging the few cars that almost didn't stop in time. she went running down the alley and came to a stop when she saw Dawn standing at the far end, shaking and crying, her clothes torn and dirty, her hair-well, she'd definitely had seen better days, Buffy knew that for sure.

"Dawnie!" Buffy cried out as they went running towards each other. "Oh my god, Dawn, where have you been this whole time? I've been so worried about you!"

"I-I was stuck," she gasped and pushed Buffy away. "Too tight, Buffy. I do need to breathe."

"Where have you been?"

"I told you, I was stuck and when I woke up I was on some alter thing with a bunch of monks surrounding me."

"Dawn!" Xander laughed as he threw his arms around her. "You're here and you're not...younger."

"Yeah, I see you guys all...whatever it is that happened to you," she said, smiling as she hugged him back just a tight. "What's going on? Buffy? Does this have something to do with the wish Faith made? 'Cause when I woke up, those monks were really surprised to see me."

"Yeah, it's uh, it's a long story and one you can hear all about from Giles and Diana-"

"Who is Diana?"

"Xander? Can you take her to Giles', get her all caught up? I'm going to get my scythe."

"Didn't you need a ride, Buff?"

"I think it's more important for Dawnie to understand what's going on right now and for Giles to help us figure out why she's...oh my god, she's the same age as us! This is so not good."

"Hey!" Dawn pouted and let Xander lead her out of the alley. "Buffy, what happened to the scythe? Didn't you bring it with you?"

"Dawnie, let me catch you up on the ride back to Giles' and we'll just let the Buffster do what she needs to do right now, okay?"

Buffy watched them walk to Xander's car and as soon as they drove off, she started running in the direction of the vineyard, fully focused and determined to get her scythe back. She didn't even care if Angel showed up there either, she knew what had to be done and with Dawn back, it was one less thing to really worry about now.

* * *

"Well, this was a bust. Looks like they cleared out," Spike said as he joined Faith in the altar room. "What do you say we head up the road and check there, pretty sure there's another one of these places around where they could've gone off to."

Faith yelled out in frustration and walked over to the table in the middle of the room. There was a bit of blood on the surface and a few drops on the floor around it, but the thing that stood out most was the bracelet, one that looked exactly like the one Dawn always wore. It was a simple multicoloured braided bracelet one of the younger slayers had given to her nearly a year ago. That girl had died a day after she gave it to Dawn, but she wore it to never forget the friend she'd found in her.

"This is Dawn's," Faith said quietly as she held the bracelet out for Spike to see. "She was here."

"So, she's alive then?"

"Beats me," Faith shrugged and tucked the bracelet into her jeans pocket. "I'm outta here, Spike. Turns out you were no help after all."

"That's it then?" Spike asked, throwing his hands in the air. "Not even a bloody thank you for trying to help out here?"

"You think just 'cause you were trying to "help" that it means I _trust_ you? I've never trusted you," Faith spat at him and headed for the main doors. "Do us all a favour and just stay away."

"And let you fight the big bad all by yourself?" Spike called out after her. "You can't beat it alone, Slayer. You and I know it, your precious leader knows it, and even the big bad itself knows it. You need a champion-"

"Yeah, a champion that isn't _you_ this time around. In case you've forgotten, a champion needs to have a soul and I'm pretty sure you're lacking one right now. Probably lacking that damn chip the Initiative put in your head too."

Spike leered at her and watched her as she walked outside and slammed the door shut behind her. she wasn't about to go back to Giles' empty handed and she knew what she needed to do now, something she should've done first before falling for Spike's stupid, useless plan to go to the monastery. She needed to get the scythe back. They needed to raise their own army before the First did. They needed to be ready.

It didn't take her too long to drive to the vineyard. She found a long knife in the backseat inside a toolbox full with other weapons and she tucked it into the back of her jeans as she hopped out of the truck. Whatever was waiting for her inside she'd deal with when the time came. She just hoped to hell that Angel wasn't waiting down there for her. That would be a fight she knew she'd never walk away from if she walked into it alone. The vineyard was quiet and she made her way down to the cellar, feeling that buzz fill her with every step she took. She stepped down the last few steps and found Buffy crawling out of the hole in the floor with the scythe in hand.

"Jesus," Faith laughed as she walked over to Buffy and wrapped her arms around her. "What the hell are you doing here by yourself, B?"

"Feeling better, so I thought I'd come for what's mine. What are _you_ doing here?"

"Was coming to get this for ya," Faith replied as she pointed to the scythe. "Did you have any problems down there?"

"Nope. Nothing is here waiting for us like last night. Oh, I got some great news, Faith," Buffy said with a big smile. "Dawnie is alive!"

"No shit," Faith laughed and she pulled the bracelet out of her pocket. "Went to the monastery and found this on this altar table. Kind of figured she was here just not _there_ like Spike said she was."

"Spike? You went there with _Spike_," Buffy asked, glaring at her as she took a step back. "What the hell were you doing there with Spike?"

"He tracked me down, told me he knew how to get Dawn back and I-"

"And you believed him?"

"Well, he was technically right. The monks _were_ bringing her back, just didn't know they already did it and took off. Got another bombshell for ya too. Spike is the Spike from before."

"No, he's not."

"He is, B. He told me stuff only he would know from before."

"Why didn't he just tell me that when I went to find him last night instead of trying to kick my ass?"

"Guess he was too busy trying to figure shit out just like we've been. Look, just 'cause I went there with all good intentions of getting Dawnie back, doesn't mean I actually trust him. At least his intention to get Dawn back was of the good. That's something, right?"

"He's always been a little late with his "information", and you're right, we shouldn't trust him. Look at Angel, just when you think you can trust him, even just a little, he turns out to be working for the First."

Faith sighed, put her arm around Buffy's shoulders, and led her towards the stairs. "At least we got two less things to worry about right now though, huh? Dawnie is back and you got the scythe."

"Now we just have to figure out how to form our own army before the First does."

"Great minds think alike, huh, B? Was just thinking that on my way here."

Buffy smiled at her and leaned in for a quick kiss before she shrugged Faith's arm away and headed up the stairs. She wanted to tell Buffy what she'd said in her sleep, she wanted Buffy to know, but she was afraid if she told her that Buffy wouldn't believe her and deny it. It still cut through her hearing the words she'd said, but she knew she couldn't take them to heart. Buffy had been delirious with the poison inside of her, completely unaware of it all. She just hoped to hell that it wouldn't happen again now that she was back to herself.

They didn't speak on the drive back to Giles' house and Buffy barely even looked at her, which made her feel even worse than she already did. When she pulled in front of Giles' building and turned off the engine, she turned to Buffy and let out a soft sigh as she waited for Buffy to look over at her. The second Buffy did, Faith moved in and kissed her hard, unable to hold back any longer. She half expected Buffy to be hesitant and pull away, but she didn't and she kissed her back just as hard, moving a hand to the back of her head to keep her right where she was.

"Mmm," Buffy moaned as she pulled back after a few minutes, gasping for breath. She kept her hand on the back of Faith's head and smiled at her. "We really need to figure out how to have a couple hours alone, Faith."

"You're telling me. Drives me fuckin' crazy being so close to you and not being able to touch you and kiss you the way I want to."

"But we can't. Not right now. We need to find out what happened to Dawn and why she didn't come back right away with us."

"What about tonight?" Faith asked quietly, nuzzling her nose against Buffy's, not ready to move away from being so close to her just yet. "If the First don't make a move, surely we can have a night off and find a way to be alone, right? Maybe I could take you out on a date, make it official, you know?"

Buffy laughed and kissed her lightly before moving back and reaching for the door handle. "I'd really love that, Faith."

Faith stayed in the truck, watching Buffy as she got out and walked past the gates with the scythe in hand, a slight swagger in her step. Faith couldn't stop from grinning as she watched her, her eyes glued to Buffy's ass, loving the way her jeans shorts just clung to her in all the right ways and in all the right places. She _really_ needed some time alone with Buffy and she figured once she did, once they got rid of the built up tension that had been growing since the last night they were together, they'd be able to focus more on what they really needed to.

"Faith?" Joyce said as she tapped on the driver's side window. "Do you think we could have a little chat?"

Faith's eyes went wide as she looked at Joyce and saw the concerned look on her face. She hadn't even seen her out there and she wondered just how long she'd been there and how much she'd seen. She knew Buffy wasn't ready for her mother to know about their relationship, yet from the look on Joyce's face as she got into the passenger side, Faith knew she already had her suspicions that there was definitely something going on between her and Buffy.

"What do you want to talk about, Joyce?"

"I think you know exactly what I want to talk about," she said as she looked at Faith. "I want to talk about what's going on between you and Buffy and I would appreciate it if you were honest with me, Faith. It seems like today, nobody is being honest with me about what's been going on around here."

"I don't know what to say," Faith said shakily, trying to keep her cool. "Maybe you should be talking to Buffy about this and not me?"

"You know as well as I do that Buffy will do everything she can to not talk about this with me. I understand how hard it must be, not just for her, but for you as well. Finding love in someone you never thought you'd find love with must come as a surprise, especially at such a young age. I've been trying to turn a blind eye, but it's hard to when the way you feel about her is so clear in your eyes every time you just look at her."

"I guess so," Faith shrugged and she was trying not to feel so uncomfortable talking about this with Joyce. "I don't think I gotta tell you that we're together," she said after a moment and studied Joyce's reaction, which remained stoic as she spoke. "I love her, Joyce. I've never loved anyone like this before."

"And does she love you?"

Faith nodded. "She does, don't know why, but she does," she said with a nervous laugh. "Everything is different now. Nobody has told you what's been going on, have they?"

"I do know that everyone has been acting rather strangely since yesterday," Joyce replied and she closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. "I should've seen this coming, all the signs were there. Buffy never dated guys, never looked twice at any of the ones that showed an interest in her and then once you came here, everything changed and for the first time in a very long time, Buffy is happy. Faith, I want you to promise me you won't hurt her."

"I'd never dream of it. But I'm not just talking about what's going on between Buffy and me here. Something happened that brought us back."

"Back?"

"We've already lived through this life once," she replied, knowing how crazy she must sound to Joyce. "It's a long story and I ain't so sure I should be the one telling you any of it."

"Well, I'd like for you to be the one to tell me what's going on and who that girl is that Xander brought back. I told Buffy a few months ago when I found out that she is a slayer to never keep anything from me ever again. It's started again and I really don't like being kept in the dark."

"Could take a bit. It _is_ a long story," Faith said quietly and she looked up at the building and let out a heavy sigh. "Don't know where to start. To start at the beginning, well, it's long and complicated and I turned evil for a while, so...a lot of it might be really hard to hear about and there's only so much I can tell you 'cause I don't even know the whole story."

And she started at the beginning, the real beginning of when she first came to Sunnydale. She knew it'd take awhile to tell Joyce the whole story and she was thankful that for the most part, Joyce didn't say a word and just listened to what she had to say.

Whether Joyce believed her or not, that wasn't her problem, but Joyce did want to know what was really going on and Faith was going to tell her absolutely everything that she could. She still had her doubts that she shouldn't be the one telling her any of this, but she also had a feeling that the right thing to do was let Joyce know the truth and about the wish that brought them all back there to Sunnydale.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Faith stood in the bathroom chain smoking, listening to what she could as the others talked in the living room. She'd spent almost two hours telling Joyce everything and even now she wasn't sure it was the best idea she'd ever had. For the most part, it seemed like Joyce believed her, but there was no mistaking that telling look in her eyes that she didn't. And she hadn't left anything out, yet there was still many things she didn't know, didn't live through herself, only having heard of some of the stories through the others over the last fourteen months.

The worst part of it was telling her about her and Buffy. she knew she shouldn't have been the one to tell her, that was supposed to be up to Buffy to tell her mother about her most recent relationship, one that just happened to be with another woman. Faith sighed heavily as she put her cigarette out in the Coke can she had with her and pulled out another.

"Hey," Buffy said as she opened the door and stepped inside, closing it quickly behind her. "You want to tell me why you laid all that out on the line with my mom?"

"She asked?" Faith offered, shrugging her shoulders as she lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply. "Look, I know I shouldn't have said anything, but I-"

"No, I'm glad you did," Buffy said quickly, cutting her off before she could say anything more. "Saved me the whole "by the way Mom, I'm totally gay for Faith and I'm in love with her" conversation."

"Is that your weird way of saying thanks?"

"Might be."

"That so? 'Cause I can think of a whole lotta other ways you could be saying thanks right about now," Faith grinned, relieved there wasn't any tension between them after all. "She believe any of it yet?"

"Giles is trying to explain everything to her. He's using big words too, words I don't even understand. I had to get out of there for a little while. Escape. Kinda like what you did."

"It's what I do best," Faith shrugged and she smiled a little as Buffy walked right up to her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Did Willow say anything about the spell on the scythe?"

"She's going to work on it, but not right now. We kind of agreed while you were out there telling my mother well, everything that we need a night off, some time to regroup. Rest."

"That right?"

"Yep," Buffy smiled and she took Faith's cigarette from her hand and dropped it into the Coke can. "So, I was thinking about maybe scrapping the whole Bronze plans and well, you know..."

Faith couldn't stop the shudder that went through her body as Buffy slipped her hands under her shirt and ran her hands up her back slowly. The heat was building between them just from Buffy's touch and she wanted to take her right there, devour her, make up for the past few days they hadn't had a moment to be alone the way they wanted to and needed to.

"You wanna get outta here?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "But, I find it a little weird if we go back to my house."

"We can go to mine?"

"What about...you know, your parents?"

"Fuck 'em. Doesn't matter to me if they're there or not."

"It matters to me," Buffy frowned. "It just...it's different here and it's kind of...weird."

"Weird to know that the parentals could hear us fucking each other senseless compared to having a castle full of slayers who without a doubt heard us the other night? Oh, not to mention Willow and her wicked brilliant landing through the roof. We'll just be really," Faith paused to kiss her softly, smiling when she pulled back, "really, quiet."

Faith's heart was already racing as she ran her hands up Buffy's arms slowly, her eyes never leaving Buffy's as she moved them away from the window. Buffy licked over her lips slowly, causing Faith's whole body to react. Everything just fell away as she kissed her hard, with a longing that made her whole body feel as if it were on fire. Just like she'd felt that morning, she needed to get out of there with Buffy before they both ended up fucking in Giles' bathroom with everyone just on the other side of the door.

"B, we should..."

"Yeah, we should."

"So?"

"You don't think it'll be kind of obvious if we just leave?"

"Nah, the obvious would be staying in here for an hour or two while the others hear the moaning and the panting and grunting."

"I don't grunt!"

"Just a little," Faith laughed and she moved her hands down Buffy's arms and wrapped them around her, holding her right where she was. "But it's hot."

"We just need to...rest for a night," Buffy whispered, smiling her little half smile that pretty much made Faith feel like she was wrapped around Buffy's little finger. "Your place then?"

Faith grabbed her hand and led them out of the bathroom, heading straight for the door and ignoring the obvious looks and glares they were getting from the others as they walked past them in the living room. She groaned when Dawn ran out after them and caught up before they could reach the truck.

"Where are you guys going?" Dawn asked. "You're just going to leave _now_?"

"Dawn, listen," Faith said as calmly as she could. "It's been fuckin' stressful since we got back here. We just need some time to...rest."

"And you're just going to leave me _here_?" Dawn scoffed. "Buffy, Mom doesn't even believe I am her daughter. Where am I going to well, live?"

"Crap," Buffy sighed. "We didn't think about that. We'll figure something out, Dawnie."

"Yeah, you'll figure something out while you two run off to have sex."

Buffy's face turned a light shade of crimson as she let go of Faith's hand and climbed into the passenger side of the truck. Faith laughed and faced Dawn. Dawn looked smug, always loving getting the better of Buffy and embarrassing her every chance she got.

"You two are _so_ running off to have sex, aren't you?"

"Gotta problem with that?" Faith asked her, returning a smug smile of her own. "Look, I'm sure Giles will let you crash at his place until we figure things out. Don't stress about it, Dawnie. We're working on trying to figure out everything here. Gotta remember we thought you'd gone back to not existing here."

"I know. I got the cliff notes version of what happened yesterday."

"Oh, before I forget, this is yours," Faith said and she dug out the bracelet from her pocket, smiling when she saw Dawn's eyes light right up. "Found it at the monastery."

"You went there?"

"Yeah, with Spike. We were gonna make the monks make you human again. Guess we really didn't need to, huh?"

"I'm feeling all confused about things here," Dawn sighed. "Angel isn't really Angel, but Spike is himself?"

"Almost. Like I said, we all need a night to rest and we'll figure shit out tomorrow 'cause we're all feeling confused about things here. Just go back inside, ok? Me and B just need some time alone right now."

"Yeah, to have sex," Dawn said, laughing as she pretended to gag. "You aren't going back to the house are you? I mean, sure, Mom isn't going to be there, but that's just...weird."

"Buffy said the same thing and no, we're going back to mine."

"You have your own place?"

"What's with all the questions?" Faith asked, glancing at the truck quickly and saw the annoyed look on Buffy's face. "No, I don't have my own place. Just go back inside, Dawnie, and let me and B do what we gotta do right now."

Dawn rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything more and she turned and headed back to Giles' apartment. Faith let out a sigh of relief and got into the truck, avoiding Buffy's pointed glare as she slid the key into the ignition. She made it about a block before Buffy pointed her in the shoulder when she came to a stop at a stop sign.

"What?"

"What was she saying to you?"

"You lose your slayer hearing or something, B?"

"No," she muttered. "It's just when it comes to my sister and sex in the same topic, I sort of tune it out automatically."

"She just started asking too many questions. Told her we're taking the night off. Sure as hell didn't remember just how annoying she can get at times. Scotland changed her and being back here..."

"Changed her back into the old Dawn but not really?" Buffy said and she sighed heavily. "I really hate this. I wish this could've been simpler. Why do we have to come back to here and now for your wish to work, Faith? I don't understand."

"None of us really do and if I knew this would happen; I swear I would've been a lot more fuckin' specific about the details."

"Maybe wishing for me to have a normal life wasn't such a good idea, huh? Seems Danu got the meaning of the word "normal" all wrong."

"Been thinking the same thing myself. Let's just forget about it all right now as best we can, B. A night off will do us good, help us clear our head, rest up, and by tomorrow we'll be right back in the game."

Buffy just smiled at her and she turned the corner. They exchanged a few longing glances at each other until Faith pulled into the driveway of her parents' house. Faith let out a disappointed groan when they got out of the truck and headed up to the front door. They could hear voices coming from inside, not just talking, but screaming voices.

"Great," Faith said under her breath as she stopped short from opening the door. "Sure you wanna spend the night here?"

"Uh...maybe it wasn't such a great idea."

"Right when you thought things had changed..." Faith trailed off, shaking her head as she turned around, ready to walk back to the truck. Buffy stopped her and she let out an annoyed grunt. "I ain't walking into that storm right now, B."

Faith hadn't stuck around the other morning long enough to see just how much different-or rather how much of the same her parents were. It made her wonder though, that if things had been different in the first place, if her father hadn't left them and landed in jail, if her mother hadn't become a raging alcoholic and drug addict, that maybe the way things were now were how they would've end up. It hurt her head to think about it and it made the pain she hadn't felt in a very long time rip through her heart as the screaming inside the house continued. She closed her eyes, forcing down the tears she felt had no right to be there when she heard the sound of something crashing and the screaming stop abruptly as footsteps rapidly approached the front door.

"Fai? What are you doing home?" Faith's mother asked as she opened the front door. "Don't you usually train in the afternoons with Diana?"

"Yeah, plans change. Taking the rest of the day off," Faith shrugged, gripping onto Buffy's hand a little tighter when she felt like she was about to move away. "You going out, Mom?"

"I've got a few errands to run. If I were you, I'd stay away from your father, Fai. He's in a mood today," she replied and she grabbed her purse off the table just inside the door and stepped outside. "Buffy, it's nice to see you again. I don't know why you don't come around very often. You know you're always welcome here."

"I'm-I know, Mrs. Lehane-"

"Mrs? You know you can call me Ruth, honey," she said, forcing a smile at Buffy as she walked past quickly. "I'll be late. There's some money in the cupboard if you two want to get some pizza for dinner later. And Fai?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time you plan on staying out all night, the least you can do is call me to let me know where you are. You know how worried I get when you don't come home."

Faith nodded, watching her as she walked to the red sports car parked in the driveway. Faith turned to Buffy, not knowing whether they should stay or go. Buffy looked like she didn't know what to say or do either and as soon as Faith's mother had pulled out of the driveway and drove off, Faith reached for the doorknob and opened it, listening to any signs they'd unexpectedly run into her father. She spotted him sprawled out on the couch in a rumpled suit, looking tired-possibly drunk, with the TV on and a bottle of beer in one hand, a cigarette in the other.

She led Buffy right to the bedroom she'd been sent to as quickly as she could, not in any way prepared for a confrontation with her father, a man she never knew, right now or any time really. She knew the longer she could put that off, the easier it'd be if and when she decided never to come back.

"Shit," Faith groaned as she locked the door behind her and looked over at Buffy. "I knew this was a bad idea coming back here."

"It could be worse."

"Right. Ain't nothing worse than hearing my mother call me Fai," she said as she rolled her eyes and walked over to the bed. "I fucking hated it when she called me that before and I fucking hate it now."

"Glad I never called you Fai then," Buffy said, laughing softly as she sat down on the bed and pulled Faith down next to her. "I think it's probably a stupid time to ask you if you're okay, huh?"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, fine. Right. With what, all the tenseness and the whole "I need to run and get the hell out of here" attitude. Faith, if you want to talk about it-"

"I don't."

"I'm guessing this is really not how you thought we'd end up spending our alone time together," Buffy said softly, frowning when Faith turned away from her, refusing to even look at her. "Faith?" Buffy asked as she moved to straddle her legs. "Baby? It'll be okay. Okay? Just try not to let all the bad bring you down. You got one good thing in your life now, don't you?"

"You?" Faith asked, smiling as she looked at Buffy. "You're basically the only good thing that's happened to me in my whole life, B. Being with you, knowing you love me, it's-I dunno, it's stupid."

"No, it's not stupid. Tell me what you were gonna say."

"It's almost all that matters to me. It _is_ all that matters to me. You make me want to be a better person, Buffy. You make me want to do good things in my life no matter what kind of evil gets thrown our way and damn," Faith laughed, suddenly feeling like she was being suffocated. "This is moving _way_ too fast, isn't it? I've never been good at this whole relationship thing, but I'm pretty sure things don't move this fast."

"Says who? And didn't we already have a conversation like this already?"

"Beats me. Things are starting to blend too much together lately. There's just too much goin' on right now," Faith sighed and she moved Buffy off her lap and lay back on the bed. "But hey, at least Dawn's back, right?"

"And just as much of a pain in the ass as always," Buffy laughed and she lay down next to her and reached for her hand. "We'll get through this, all of this. We just have to take things one day at a time right now. Starting with a little bit of downtime, some me and you time."

"How'd I get so lucky, B?" Faith asked as she stared at her with wonder. "How'd I get you to be mine?"

"By just being you," Buffy replied, smiling as she turned on her side and gently cupped Faith's face with her other hand. "A lot has changed, Faith, and I'm not just talking about the last couple of days, I'm talking about the last year or so. Am I gonna have to explain to you why we're together every time you get that doubt about us?"

"No, I was just sayin'," Faith sighed and she couldn't help but smile. "Sometimes being with you, just like this right now, it's...nice. You know, despite all the shit that's going on."

There was so much more she wanted to say, but couldn't find the right words to say it. She knew Buffy knew it too because all Buffy did was smile at her and kiss her softly on her forehead. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, their first time truly alone in days, but everything about this moment felt right, just being there with the woman Faith loved. Her body ached for Buffy to touch her and to kiss her, yet she wasn't rushing this, she couldn't.

Faith turned on her side to look at Buffy, smiling at her as Buffy squeezed her hand gently before letting go. She closed her eyes as Buffy's hand found its way to her hip, fingers teasing her skin just under the hem of her shirt. Faith opened her eyes when she felt Buffy's warm breath over her lips and she smiled at her before leaning in for the softest of kisses. Her heart was racing, her body buzzing and she knew she couldn't keep things chaste for much longer between them.

Their kisses grew more insistent as hands began to roam. Faith needed more and she knew Buffy needed more too. She sat up, pulling Buffy with her, her lips never leaving Buffy's as she moved them until they were standing at the foot of the bed. She trailed her lips over Buffy's jaw as her hands slipped under her t-shirt. The heat of Buffy's skin drew her in and she had to have more, she had to feel Buffy completely against her without anything in between them. She pulled back, staring into Buffy's eyes as she slowly inched her shirt up. Buffy lifted her arms, smiling sensually as Faith slid her shirt off and carelessly let it fall to the floor beside them.

Faith couldn't take the slowness and she pulled her own shirt off, groaning when Buffy stopped her from taking off her jeans. Buffy shook her head slowly and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She let go of Faith's hands and tugged on the waistband of her jeans, smiling into the kiss when Faith moaned into her mouth.

"Fuck," Faith sighed as she pulled back from Buffy's lips. "I need you so fuckin' badly, B."

"I want to take it slow," she whispered as she popped the button on Faith's jeans. "Can we?"

"As long as we can get a little more naked here."

Buffy laughed and moved her hands away and took a step back, putting a little bit of space between them. "What part of slow didn't you get?"

"The slow part," Faith grinned as she let her eyes roam over Buffy's body and she licked over her lips. "Lots of time to take it slow, but right now..." she groaned as she watched Buffy take another step back and slide her shorts off. "I don't think I can handle slow right now."

Buffy arched an eyebrow as she watched Faith struggle to get out of her jeans quickly. She laughed as she fell back on the bed before she got them off completely. Buffy ran her hands over her legs and pulled her jeans off the rest of the way before she quickly moved to straddle her. When Faith tried to reach for the clasp on Buffy's bra, she found her hands pinned against the mattress just above her head.

"You're gonna kill me," she laughed dryly, raising her hips up into Buffy, trying to get some kind of contact going between them. "You're gonna torture me, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Buffy said teasingly as she leaned down, her lips brushing against Faith's but not quite kissing her. "But I realized something today."

"What's that?"

Buffy blushed as she let go of Faith's hands and sat back slowly. Faith leaned up on her elbows, watching Buffy as she opened and closed her mouth, trying to figure out how to say whatever it was she needed to say to her.

"B?"

"I think I'm a virgin."

"No, you're not."

"In this body I am," she whispered, her face flushing about two shades darker than it already was. "Oh god," she groaned as she leaned forward and buried her face into Faith's neck. "It's almost embarrassing."

"It's not embarrassing," Faith said softly as she rubbed Buffy's back in a soothing manner. "Now I'm getting why you wanna take this slow right now. Have yourself a real first time with me. At least it won't be as fucked up as the last time you had your first time. It ain't like I'm gonna go evil and start killing everyone."

Buffy tensed up and Faith knew she'd said the wrong thing. She stopped rubbing Buffy's back, wondering if Buffy would completely flip out on her for saying what she did.

"B, I didn't mean that," she said after a few minutes of silence passed. "I just-fuck, that was a stupid thing to say."

"No," Buffy sighed as she looked up at Faith. "It's true. It won't be as fucked up as it was when I was with Angel. Maybe that's what made me into what I am; maybe it's what turned me into a stone-cold bitch who couldn't love anyone else for the longest time."

"Totally ruined the mood here, didn't we?" Faith asked, chuckling softly as Buffy shrugged and tried to fight back a smile of her own. "Come here. Let's just start over and forget the stupid things that I say without thinking first."

"Romance is definitely not your forte," Buffy smirked as she let Faith pull her down so she was lying fully against her again. "You got a lot to learn about being a girlfriend, baby."

"You can teach me," she smiled as she ran her fingers tenderly over Buffy's cheek. "I want to be everything you want me to be. I'm not saying I'll be the perfect girlfriend, but fuck it, I'm gonna try."

Buffy smiled at her and leaned in for a kiss. Faith was starting to feel a little bit nervous after hearing what Buffy said to her, about it being her first time all over again. she never felt like this, not even when she'd been with guys who'd been virgins, but then again that was how it was for her before, she never cared and never thought for a second about what it meant for the other. But this was Buffy and she loved this woman more than anything else in the world. She wanted this to be good for her; she wanted this to almost erase the memories of her first time with Angel.

Faith rolled them over swiftly, unable to stand being the bottom for much longer. She felt Buffy smile against her lips before she ran her tongue over Buffy's lips as she slipped a thigh between Buffy's legs. She could feel the heat coming from her pussy and it was beginning to drive her crazy. She reluctantly stopped kissing Buffy and just stared down at her.

"Faith?"

"Hmm?"

"Something wrong?"

"Not at all."

Buffy pulled her back down, kissing her hard as she rocked her pussy against Faith's leg, her hands moving slowly from the back of Faith's head and down her back. Faith completely lost herself in the kiss, feeling herself losing her resolve to keep things on the slow side the instant Buffy sucked on her tongue. She slid a hand under Buffy and unclasped her bra, pulling it off without breaking away from their kiss. Faith cupped her breast, running her thumb over her hardening nipple, moaning as Buffy bit on her lower lip hard and grabbed onto her ass as her hips thrust harder against her thigh.

Faith pulled back from the kiss, breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath. She dipped her head down and started kissing along Buffy's neck and collarbone, loving the breathy sighs escaping past Buffy's lip every time she nipped at her skin. Buffy gripped at her shoulders, her nails digging into her skin as she nipped at her left nipple and swiftly moved to the right. She stared up at Buffy as she circled her tongue slowly around her nipple before playfully nipping at it.

"Faith," Buffy moaned as she fumbled with the clasp on her bra. "Take it off."

She didn't move as Buffy unclasped her bra and pulled it off and she went back to her task, teasing each nipple a few times before raining soft kisses down her stomach. With every kiss, Buffy's breathing got heavier and her hips started rocking slightly, desperate for more. Faith smirked against her skin as she ran her fingertips over the waistband of Buffy's light pink panties. She placed one light kiss just below Buffy's belly button before she sat up and slowly began to pull them off.

The sight of Buffy before her, lifting her butt from the bed slightly as she slid her panties down, made her almost painfully aroused. She starting thinking taking things slow wasn't so bad if it was this sexy. She dragged her fingertips across Buffy's skin and took in a deep breath as she tossed her panties to the side and let her eyes drink in every inch of Buffy's body. She lifted Buffy's left leg and kissed the inside of her ankle lightly, feeling Buffy tremor slightly. With every kiss, she spread Buffy's legs a little wider.

"Baby," Buffy breathed out as she settled between her legs and trailed the tip of her tongue along the inside of her thighs.

"Fuck, you're soaked," Faith groaned at the sight of Buffy's glistening pussy before her. "Do I always turn you on this much?"

"Oh yeah," Buffy smiled as she ran her fingers through Faith's hair.

Faith sucked in a deep breath as she licked over her lips. Buffy pulled her in closer, urging her to taste her. She ran her tongue the length of her slit, savouring every last drop of Buffy's arousal. Buffy tugged on her hair, moaning as Faith wrapped her lips around her throbbing clit and sucked hard. Without warning, Buffy pulled her away and pulled her back up until they were face to face. Faith groaned, half in annoyance for being forced to stop, half in confusion as to why Buffy wanted her to stop.

Buffy tugged at her panties and Faith got the hint, helping her slide them off. She kicked them to the floor and settled between Buffy's legs, sighing at the feel of Buffy's hot and wet pussy against her own. Buffy clung to her, kissing her wildly without abandon as she wrapped a leg around Faith's hip and started thrusting her hips upwards. Buffy grabbed her hand that was gripping onto her leg and slipped it between them, showing Faith exactly what she wanted.

"If it hurts..." Faith said softly as she pulled back from Buffy's lips just enough to look into her eyes. "Tell me, okay, B, and I'll stop."

"Just touch me, baby. I need your fingers inside of me."

Faith held her breath as she circled her fingers over her clit, her wetness coating her fingers as she slipped them between her folds. She stared deeply into Buffy's eyes as she slipped a finger inside of her, feeling how incredibly tight she was. After a few slow, deep thrusts, she eased a second finger inside of her, watching as Buffy bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She stilled her fingers and felt a wave of arousal wash over her at the feeling of being knuckle deep inside of Buffy.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," Buffy said softly, opening her eyes and smiling up at her.

"Think you can take three, baby?" Faith whispered, brushing her lips against Buffy's, breathing heavily as she eased her fingers out slowly. She felt Buffy nod her head a little and she eased a third finger inside of her.

Buffy tensed up completely and Faith stopped, wondering if she'd hurt her. Buffy had definitely not been this tight before and Faith was starting to think that in this body she really was a virgin. She almost wanted to stop, wanting to make this moment a little more special for her and seeing the lone tear roll down her cheek made her heart clench. She started to pull her fingers out of Buffy when Buffy stopped her and opened her eyes again.

"Don't stop."

"If it hurts-"

"Don't stop," Buffy repeated, her voice sounding a little strained as her grip on Faith's wrist tightened.

Faith closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Buffy's as she slowly began to thrust her fingers in an out of her, feeling Buffy loosen up little by little each time she bottomed out. she couldn't hold back her moan as Buffy let go of her wrist and slicked her fingers over her pussy before plunging two hard inside of her, taking her a little bit by surprise. She lifted up a little bit, spreading her legs to allow Buffy more room to fuck her harder and she crushed her lips against Buffy's as they both moaned, pleasure quickly taking over the obvious pain Buffy was feeling.

Before long, Buffy was coming, her fingers fucking Faith hard and fast while she gripped onto Faith's shoulder with her other hand, her nails digging so hard into her skin it made her skin feel as if it were on fire. Faith kept her fingers buried deeply inside of Buffy as she felt her own orgasm rip through her. It was the release she'd been desperately seeking for the past couple of days and she shuddered as she moved to lay next to Buffy, her body relaxing as her orgasm rippled through her in waves.

They just lay there for a few minutes, holding onto each other, breathing heavily, lost in the moment that felt far too quick for Faith. But they were far from finished and if she had it her way, they'd spend the rest of the afternoon right there, fucking and making love until their bodies couldn't handle it anymore.

"Mmm," Buffy moaned as she nuzzled her nose against Faith's. "That felt so good."

"Oh yeah," Faith replied, smiling as she pulled her fingers out of Buffy and let her hand lazily find its way to rest on her hip. "You need a minute there, Slayer?"

Buffy laughed and pinched her side playfully before quickly rolling them over and straddled her hips. Faith wasn't sure what it was, but in that moment she felt something she'd never felt before. She knew she'd never want anyone else but Buffy and that this was it. Buffy was _it_, she was her equal, her perfect match. Buffy was most definitely the One and there was absolutely no doubt about it.

Not one what so ever.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Buffy woke sometime after three in the morning, her whole body deliciously sore and completely satisfied from the hours upon hours she and Faith had just spent making love and completely devouring each other. It'd been a perfect night considering the situation they were in and even though she felt incredibly selfish for wanting nothing more than to spend it with Faith, she wouldn't have had it any other way.

As tired as she was, her stomach was reminding her she hadn't ate all day. They'd skipped dinner, far too preoccupied with one another to let something as trivial as eating food invade their thoughts. She turned in Faith's arms slowly, watching the soft light of the moon illuminate Faith's face and body. Faith began to stir, moaning softly before she opened her eyes and looked over at her.

"Hey," she smiled, her voice husky with sleep. "Can't sleep?"

"Hungry," Buffy replied, leaning in to kiss her as her stomach growled. "Really, really hungry."

"Shit," Faith laughed. "Knew we forgot somethin'. Guess our minds were on something other than food, huh?"

Faith gave her a soft, lingering kiss before she slipped out of bed. She groaned as she stretched out and Buffy couldn't take her eyes off of her as she watched her fumble through the dresser drawers for some clothes. She finally pulled out a tank top and sweatpants, pulling them on quickly before reaching in the drawers for more clothes that she tossed towards the bed.

"What?" Faith asked as Buffy turned on the lamp next to the bed. "You don't wanna come down and raid the fridge with me? Thought you were hungry, B?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and dressed in the sweatpants and t-shirt Faith had tossed on the bed for her. In her mind, even as hungry as she was, as soon as she left this bed, their night was over. It was just a stupid sinking feeling that crept up on her and she tried to shake it off as she quickly pulled on the clothes and followed Faith to the door.

Being in a house that neither of them were used to felt a little strange. She slipped a hand into Faith's as they walked out into the hallway and she let her lead the way to the dark kitchen. They both walked quickly past the living room and Buffy tried to ignore the sight of Faith's father still on the couch with a beer bottle in one hand and instead of a cigarette in the other like earlier, the remote to the TV that was still on in the other.

After a quick search in the kitchen, Faith growled as she slammed the refrigerator door shut. There was nothing but condiments and beer in the fridge and the cupboards nearly empty. Buffy ran a hand up and down her back soothingly, feeling the anger rising in Faith. She wasn't sure if she should say anything, not knowing how Faith was going to react if she did. Faith just closed her eyes and breathed in and out steadily, trying to calm herself down.

"Just like before," she said under her breath. "Was never any food in the house, only beer in the fridge and fuck all else."

"Faith, we can go back to my house. I'm sure there's something we can get to eat there."

"What about your mom?"

"Not worried about it," Buffy replied, partly lying since she was actually a little worried about how her mother would react to her bringing Faith home in the middle of the night. "Okay, a little worried about it, but I have a feeling it's just one more thing she'll have to get used to when it comes to us."

"If we're stuck here, I'm so getting my own place. No way in hell am I living this nightmare again."

Buffy didn't say anything more, still not sure what to say about how Faith was reacting. Buffy couldn't see the things Faith did when she looked at her parents, at the small subtle signs of the way her life was there with them. She hadn't lived through anything like what Faith had to before, but she knew it hadn't been good and that her memories of her childhood were best left forgotten and buried deep inside of her.

They left after Faith went back upstairs and came back down with a duffel bag full of clothes and the weapons she'd brought with her. Buffy didn't even have to ask or guess, she knew Faith wasn't planning to come back anytime soon. It was just one other thing she had to deal with and she was making that choice not to.

_So much for the perfect end to a long day_, Buffy thought as she followed Faith outside. "Faith, aren't we taking the truck?"

"No," she said as she shook her head and stopped walking when she reached the street. "Doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel like mine, you know? Nothing here feels right but _you_, B."

Buffy knew exactly what she was getting at and she wrapped an arm around Faith's waist as they walked down the quiet street. It wasn't far to her house, but being in Sunnydale and walking the streets at three in the morning, she knew they were bound to run into a least one vampire on the way. But that wasn't what was on her mind. She was thinking about what Faith was planning to do if she wasn't going to go back to her parents house. Where was she going to stay? Buffy couldn't let her stay at that motel again and she knew Giles would offer her the spare room-which was more like an oversized utility closet than anything else, yet she knew Faith wouldn't want to stay with him for very long especially if Dawn was staying there until they figured out just what to do with her.

Things were complicated, but the solutions were not impossible. It wasn't as if Faith could get her own apartment, she was still under eighteen and without a job. Buffy wondered if there was a way she could talk her mother into letting Faith stay with them, but there was also a big downside to that idea. Her mother would never allow them to share the same bed. And besides, she wasn't sure Faith would even like that idea. They did spend the last year and a bit living under the same roof in Scotland, but that was different. Much, much different.

Besides Faith's living arrangement, they were still very new to their relationship. Buffy didn't want to push her into taking things any further than they'd already gone, but that little voice in the back of her head reminded her they'd already gone down that road together in the short time since they'd been together. She knew she loved Faith and it was deep love, love she never thought she'd ever feel again with anyone, and she knew that Faith loved her. Yet sometimes, love wasn't always enough to keep a relationship strong and together. She was starting to understand why Faith kept having her doubts.

"Faith?" Buffy asked quietly as they approached her house. "Where are you going to stay if you aren't going back there?"

"Not sure yet. Might ask Diana if I can stay with her at least until I can get a job or something so I can get my own place."

"What about school?"

"What about it? It's summer and besides, you know me, never been one to become an educational drone. The only education I need is street smarts. Gets you where you want in life if you know how to play it right."

"If I asked you to stay with me, what would you say?"

"I'd say, what's your mom gonna say about that, B? It ain't like she'd let us share your room or anything. I doubt she's gonna be _that_ cool with us sharing the same bed under her roof."

"Well, you're staying here tonight. No questions asked."

"Deal," Faith grinned and she kissed the side of Buffy's head as Buffy led them around to the back door. "Might be a good idea to get some food in us first."

Buffy tried the back door, not surprised to find it unlocked, nor was she surprised to see her mother sitting at the center island sipping a cup of hot chocolate. Buffy knew that she'd been waiting up for her, waiting for her to come home. After so many years of going by her own rules, her own time, it was too hard to fall right back to the way it'd been before. Buffy looked back at Faith as she lingered in the doorway, unsure of whether to come in or not.

"Where have you been?" Joyce asked as she stared at Buffy. "Patrol?"

"Uh," Buffy coughed as she walked to the fridge and opened it. "No, we weren't on patrol. We went to Faith's."

"I realize how hard it is for you to come back to this kind of life," Joyce said and Buffy turned around to look at her. "But not even three days ago, things were much different here, Buffy. You're still my daughter and you're still only seventeen. Patrol or not, I want to know where you are and when you plan on coming home."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, frowning as she saw the worried look on her mother's face. "It won't happen again. And hey, I'm home now, aren't I?"

"With Faith," Joyce said and she sighed as she got up from the stool. "I in no way want to come between you two, but I am also not going to allow you two to share a bed in my house now that I know the true nature of your relationship."

"I can go," Faith said as she adjusted the duffel bag strap on her shoulder. "If it's a problem, I can find somewhere else to stay."

"No, it's not a problem, Faith," Joyce said and she motioned for her to come inside. "I know things can get rough at home for you and I know you don't remember me telling you before that you are welcome to stay in the spare room if you need to."

"Thanks."

"It's late," Joyce sighed as she glanced at the clock. "We can discuss this in the morning about why you two are coming here in the middle of the night. We'll also sit down and discuss your relationship and the rules I expect to be followed while you two are in my house together."

Buffy was mortified and she sat at the kitchen island and put her head down on the counter. She barely flinched when she heard Faith drop her bag to the floor and walk up behind her. "I can't believe that just happened," Buffy muttered, sighing contently as she lifted her head and allowed Faith to wrap her arms around her from behind.

"Don't worry about it, B. Your mom is pretty cool. She's just worried about you."

"I know."

"How about we get something to eat and get some sleep," Faith whispered as she moved Buffy's hair back from her neck and placed a soft kiss just below her ear.

"This was so not how I wanted the first time we've been alone in days to end up."

"Nothing ever goes to plan when it comes to us. Should know that by now."

"I know," Buffy sighed and she turned around to face Faith. "It just...sucks."

"Didn't suck entirely though," Faith smiled at her and leaned down for a soft kiss. "We'll figure something out, B. We do have other shit to deal with too. Once it's all over, things will get a little easier."

Buffy nodded her head and tried to shake the doubts away as she slid off the stool and grabbed the loaf of bread off the counter. She made them a couple of sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly, and they ate in silence, sharing a few kisses here and there before they headed upstairs to get some sleep. Faith tried to follow Buffy into her bedroom, but she pushed Faith back and pointed to the door down the hallway.

"Come on," Faith whispered. "We won't actually do anything and I'll slip outta your bed before your mom figures out I slept in there with you."

"No," Buffy said as she shook her head. "As much as I want to, I also really don't want to piss her off. She might be acting like she's okay with the two of us being together, but once it really sinks in, it's gonna be bad."

"Bad? Why would it be bad, B?"

"I don't know. I just don't want her to think that we don't respect her."

"Fine," Faith pouted, making Buffy laugh at how adorable she looked. "That bed in there better be comfortable."

"Goodnight, Faith," Buffy smiled as she pulled her in for a lingering kiss, pushing Faith away when she tried to kiss her deeper.

Buffy watched Faith go into the spare room and as soon as the door shut behind her, she slipped into her room and crawled into bed. She was still hungry, but she wasn't about to start cooking so late and especially not after that little run-in with her mother. And she felt cold, the bed feeling far too empty without Faith there next to her. As new as their relationship was, it was the little things like being near her that she'd quickly gotten used to. Everything about them felt so right and it felt like it should've always been that way.

With her mind clouded of thoughts, it took her a long time to fall asleep. She kept fighting that urge to slip out of bed and join Faith in the spare room, but that voice-that really annoying voice in the back of her head told her not to disrespect her mother's rules. She fell asleep to thoughts of what happened earlier that night and fell deep into dreams she wished were real.

* * *

Buffy woke up just a few short hours after falling asleep to the smell of fresh coffee brewing and the irresistible smell of waffles being cooked. She nearly jumped out of bed when her mother knocked once on the door and opened it.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Joyce said with a smile. "Why don't you go wake Faith up and we'll talk while we eat."

"Okay."

Joyce smiled at her, leaving the door open as she walked away and headed back downstairs. Buffy groaned as she stretched out on the bed, her body stiff and a little sore. She slipped out of bed and headed for the spare room, opening the door as quietly as she could and walked inside. Faith was fast asleep, lying on her stomach with her hair covering most of her face.

"Faith," Buffy whispered as she crawled onto the small bed and moved quickly to straddle her ass. Faith barely even stirred and Buffy tried not to laugh as she leaned forward towards her ear. "Wake up, baby."

"Huh?" Faith muttered and she grunted softly as she swiftly rolled over onto her back. She grabbed Buffy's hips, keeping her from moving away. "Morning already?"

"Yeah."

"Are those waffles I smell?" Faith asked, sitting up a little as Buffy moved her hair away from her face. "And coffee?"

"Yep and yep," Buffy smiled and she leaned in for a very chaste kiss. "Mom is making breakfast and wants to have that talk while we eat."

"Nervous?" Faith asked as she sat up completely, still keeping her hands on Buffy's hips to hold her there on her lap. "Your mom might be cool, but she can also be very fuckin' scary when she wants to be."

"I know."

Buffy moved to get off of Faith, and squealed as Faith grabbed onto her tightly and crushed their lips together. Her brain momentarily shut down as she allowed herself to become completely lost in the kiss. It was only when Faith slipped a hand under her shirt and cupped her braless breast that she pushed her away and jumped off of her and the bed.

"Oh come on! I don't even get a good morning kiss?"

"You had your kiss. That was more like a kiss and some groping," Buffy laughed and she held her hand out to Faith and pulled her off the bed. "Let's just get this talk over with, okay?"

"I believe I'm entitled to some morning groping after spending the last few hours sleeping on this wicked uncomfortable bed," Faith muttered as she allowed Buffy to lead her out of the room and towards the stairs. "What are the plans for after this talk?"

"I have no idea."

"Gonna head over to Giles' place?"

"I told you I have no idea, Faith. Let's just see where the day goes. I'm tired of making plans and I'm tired of thinking ahead. Plus I'm pretty terrified about what my mom is going to say to us."

They walked down to the dining room where Joyce already had three plates set out on the table and the stack of waffles on a plate in the middle. Faith instantly let go of Buffy's hand and sat down, piling her plate full of waffles and reached for the syrup while gulping down the glass of orange juice that was by her plate. Joyce walked in and sat down on the other end of the table, motioning for Buffy to take a seat next to Faith.

"These are some good waffles, Joyce," Faith said in between bites.

"Thank you," Joyce replied with a smile as she took two and put them on her own plate. "Now, yesterday came as quite a surprise to me," she began as Buffy just sat there staring at her empty plate, her appetite suddenly diminishing as her nerves began to flare up. "I think I was more surprised about finding out you two are together than anything else. Now, I'm not against the fact that you two have found something with each other. I've always thought of myself as open-minded. I do know how hard it is to find someone you connect to and as Faith told me yesterday, it's hard to find love with someone who understands you when you're a slayer."

Joyce took a deep breath and stared right at Buffy, making her feel like her heart just leapt into her throat. Buffy knew she probably wasn't going to like what her mother would say next and she took a few deep breaths as she stared right back at her.

"There is a lot happening right now, I understand that. Giles and Diana have filled me in on just about everything. But we're not here to talk about that, we're here to talk about you two," she said calmly and she paused to take a sip of her coffee. "But first, I'd like to know why you two came here in the middle of the night if you were at Faith's for most of the day."

"Woke up hungry," Faith shrugged as she reached for another couple of waffles and dropped them on her plate. "Didn't have any food in the house and you can't exactly sleep when you're hungry, right?"

"Faith, your mother called me a little while ago, worried about you."

"Whatever," Faith muttered quietly enough that only Buffy heard her.

"I know things aren't easy at your house and that you feel the need to run. Your mother expressed her fears that you might run away again like you did back when you were living in Boston."

"It ain't easy," Faith replied. "Just don't think I can handle going through almost the same shit as before. Been through too much and seen far too much in my life. Having my parents around again, semi-normal and yet still very much the same as before, kind of makes me wanna get the hell outta there as fast as I can."

"I know. You told me this yesterday and that is why I told your mother that you'd always have a place to stay if you need to get away for a couple of days so she won't worry so much about you."

Buffy wasn't sure where this conversation was going, but she was starting to feel a little less nervous about it. "Are you saying Faith can stay here?" Buffy asked quietly, wondering if that's what her mother was trying to say.

"She's more than welcome to stay and besides, I feel much safer with two slayers in my house compared to just one," Joyce said and she and Faith both laughed. "There are just rules I expect you two to follow while she's here. Even though I'm fairly okay with the nature of your relationship, I am _not_ okay with you two sharing the same bed, nor am I okay with you two being left entirely alone. I know you both aren't used to having to follow any rules, but you're back here now and things are going to be different from now on."

Joyce started talking about the rules she wanted mostly Buffy to follow, rules that were much like they'd been years before. No staying out past two in the morning while out on patrol, calling if she's staying out later than planned. Then she started going on about chores that needed to be done and how they could be split up if Faith was planning to stay for a little while. It all felt too surreal to Buffy to be sitting at the dining room table listening to her mother run off what felt like a never-ending list of rules. She knew what was expected of her especially being back there, but she felt like it was becoming a little bit ridiculous to be treated like a child who didn't understand the difference between right and wrong.

They fell into silence once Joyce had finished talking and they ate what was left of the waffles without so much looking at each other. When Joyce began to clear the table, Faith turned to Buffy and sighed heavily, shaking her head.

"Can you believe this?" Faith asked softly as she casually draped her arm around the back of Buffy's chair. "Now I get where you get the General Buffy attitude from."

"Faith," Buffy groaned as she shoved her arm away. "I was never that bad."

"Kind of were sometimes," she chuckled. "So, we gonna play good and follow her rules?"

"Don't know, are we?"

"If I wanna see you every day, thinking we're gonna hafta," Faith said with a pout that made Buffy want to kiss her, but she held back, not wanting her mother to catch her kissing Faith in the house. "It could be worse. She could've told me to stay away from you."

"Even if she did, you wouldn't stay away."

"Dunno, B. Your ma is pretty scary when she means business. But you're right. Nothing would keep me from seeing you. Not even a hundred of the nastiest hellhounds could keep me away from you."

"You ever think it'd end up like this before we came back here?" Buffy asked her as she picked up her cup of now warm coffee and took a sip.

"Didn't even know what to expect to come back to before we got here. Been one mindfuck after the other if you ask me. Too many mindfucks and not enough of the kind of fuck I wanna be having."

Buffy playfully punched her shoulder and she was caught off guard when Faith grabbed her and kissed her deeply. They were interrupted by the doorbell and Buffy nearly jumped away from Faith as her mother walked past and went to answer the door.

"Hello guys," Joyce said cheerfully as Xander, Willow, Giles and Dawn walked in the house. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"Sunny," Xander replied with a goofy grin on his face. "Did you make any extra waffles?"

"You just ate!" Dawn said, clearly annoyed as she poked Xander's stomach. "It's like a bottomless pit in there, isn't it?"

"I can make some more if you're hungry," Joyce said and Xander grinned and nodded his head.

"What's with the early morning meeting?" Faith asked as the others joined her and Buffy at the table.

"We have some more information," Giles said and he nodded towards Willow as she pulled a book out of her bag. "There may be a way to eliminate Angel. It will be extremely risky and I'll need you two to be on board with the plans."

"Plans?" Buffy asked. "Do we have to kill him?" Giles nodded and she laughed. "We can't kill him even if we wanted to, Giles. In case you've forgotten, he's pretty much invincible right now."

"Willow?" Giles said and she handed the old book to him. "There is a spell to sever ties from a human being and a mystical force. It's very advanced, much more so than what Willow has ever been able to achieve."

"But it's not impossible," Willow pointed out. "I just need a rather powerful coven behind me when I do this spell. We're working on it. I'm also trying to find a way to find Tara and ask her to join us without completely freaking her out."

"So, what do we do in the meantime then?" Faith asked as she draped her arm around the back of Buffy's chair again. "Avoid Angel and the First like the plague?"

"Or syphilis," Xander muttered. Everyone looked at him and the only one who looked confused was Faith. "Can we make sure this time around I don't get syphilis or anything else that falls in the category of mystical related illnesses?"

"We'll all need to avoid running into Angel or the First," Giles said and he nodded a curt thank you to Joyce as she brought him a cup of tea. "For the next couple of days, we need to keep to ourselves and stay out of their way as best we can. We cannot fight either of them while Angel is still alive and as powerful as he is."

"He ain't exactly a vamp so it's not like he has to be invited into the house. He can just come in whenever he damn well pleases," Faith said bitterly. "And we're gonna lay low and hide? Like cowards?"

"We have no other choice unless you don't mind getting severely hurt. Or killed."

"Killed?" Joyce asked, tensing up as she stared down at Giles. "Is one of us going to be killed?"

"Not if we lay low," he replied. "Buffy, Faith, I want you two to stay off the streets and do not patrol unless you feel you absolutely must. If you do leave the house, I want you to inform Diana or myself. It's absolutely-"

"Bullshit is what it is," Faith said before he could finish and she looked over at Buffy for a second before she turned her attention back to Giles. "So what are you trying to say, we stay here? In this house? Angel and the First will find us in an instant, Giles."

"That's where I come in handy," Willow said. "And Dawn too. We're going to do a spell to cloak the house and us. It should keep them away from us at least until we can get the coven here."

"Dawn can do magic?" Buffy asked sceptically. "Since when can she do magic that advanced? Or magic that doesn't backfire on her?"

"Since always, Buffy," Dawn said and she crossed her arms, glaring at her. "You were too wrapped up in your own shit to know what I've been doing all these months."

"Wait," Joyce said as she held up her hands and shook her head as if she couldn't believe a word anyone was saying. "Dawn is a witch too?"

"No," Willow said and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Dawn is in no way a witch, but the source of her power comes from somewhere else, a different kind of energy. Giles and I suspect it's from what's left over from when she was still the Key. We're helping her control her power, help her focus while she does a spell and well, let's just say she's a little more powerful than anyone thought she was."

"How much more powerful?" Buffy asked and upon Willow's surprised look, Buffy scoffed. "No way. There's no way she's as powerful as you, Will."

"Maybe not quite as much, but something happened in the time she was "stuck", Buffy. I spent all night with Giles and Diana trying to find some answers, but we think whatever happened, whatever made her stuck wherever she was and whatever made her stay who she was when we left Scotland, it all has something to do with why she is the way she is now."

"When you said cloak the house and us, what did that mean exactly?" Joyce asked and everyone turned to look at Giles. "Does that mean we all have to stay together in this house?"

"Precisely what it means. I'm sorry to intrude like this, Joyce, but I know you understand the gravity of the situation we're all in right now," Giles said and he looked around the table at each one of them. Buffy didn't like this idea, but she didn't have a better one herself. "We're hoping to have the coven from England come by next week at the very latest to do the spell on Angel, to make him weak enough to kill."

"You are going to let one of these girls kill a human man?" Joyce asked as she walked over and stood behind Buffy and Faith. "Neither of them are getting human blood on their hands, Rupert. That's one step too far and one I will not allow to have happen."

"That's why they aren't going to be the ones who take his life," Giles replied calmly. "I will be the one to take his life. I have nothing in my life at stake. You all have your whole lives ahead of you, a clean slate if you will. I won't allow any of you to take the life of a human willingly."

Buffy couldn't believe what Giles was saying and from the look on everyone else's faces, neither could they. While everyone launched into multiple discussions about what they were going to do and what had to be done first, Buffy managed to slip out of the dining room without anyone noticing her gone. Aside from Faith, who joined her on the back porch barely a minute after she'd left.

"Getting a little too crazy in there, huh," Faith mused as she sat down next to Buffy on the steps. "Can't believe Giles would even suggest somethin' as fucked up as him being the one to-"

"But he's right," Buffy cut her off. "Angel is human whether he's invincible right now or not. We kill him and we're not just killing a vampire here, and we become murderers. Angel isn't a vampire anymore."

"Obviously."

"Why'd he have to be here?" Buffy groaned as she buried her face into her hands. "The First I can deal with, everything else I can deal with but _him_. Angel being here, being the way he is, it makes everything c complicated."

"Why?" Faith asked quietly as she reached for Buffy's hand. "I get it if you don't want to talk about it, but why are you letting him get under your skin like this, B?"

"It's Angel."

She couldn't say any more even if she wanted to and she watched Faith, waiting for a reaction, an accusation, but that never came. Only a soft sigh escaped past Faith's lips as she stared at Buffy. There was a look of understanding in her eyes, a look Buffy rarely saw when it came to Faith.

But what worried her was what Faith thought she understood. She did know that as long as Angel was around, no matter what she said to Faith about not loving him, it would fall upon deaf ears. She didn't want to keep doing this. She didn't want to keep circling back right when she thought she'd taken a step forward. She loved Faith and she knew she was beginning to love Faith more than she'd loved anyone before, Angel included.

It was scary when she thought about it, but when she just let the feeling take over it was the best feeling in the world. It made her feel free, and safe, and it made her feel that whatever came next, they'd beat it and go on with their lives. Sure they'd be basically hiding under a cloak of magic from Angel and the First and she knew out of all of them, Faith hated that idea of cowering away like the cowards they all knew they weren't.

She heard rustling in the bushes at the end of the yard and she and Faith both stood up, ready for whatever was lurking back there despite it being early morning. Spike ran out from behind the bushes, the blanket around him and smoke billowing out from inside.

"Come inside, Spike," Buffy said calmly as she opened the back door and watched him run past, barely muttering an audible thank you as he tore the blanket off, smoke filling the kitchen slowly before wafting out the back door.

_If it isn't one thing, it's always another_, Buffy thought, sighing as she looked at Faith, watching as she came inside and shut the door behind her. _It's never going to end. It won't ever stop if we don't put an end to it now_.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Everyone stood in the kitchen staring at Spike, waiting for him to talk, waiting for some kind of explanation on why he decided to take an early morning stroll over to the house. Buffy stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, very much aware of how close Faith was standing next to her.

"Got some info," Spike said as he casually leaned up against the counter. "Info regarding Angel."

"We're already on it," Buffy replied. "One step behind as usual, are we, Spike?"

"Bloody hell, I came here to tell you Angel has it out for you."

"Again, another step behind."

Spike growled and Buffy remained unfazed by his words. "You all got it wrong. Angel isn't working for the First, it's the other way around. Seems like your boy is a bigger bad than the biggest bad itself."

"One?" Buffy said, her calmness fading fast. "He is not _my_ boy. And two, how do you know that?"

"Had myself a little run in with a nasty demon claiming to be the First. Told me a few things, Angel's name popping up every other sentence. Didn't take much to put two and two together if you ask me. Angel is plotting ways to rid himself of you two," he said as he pointed to Buffy and Faith.

"Oh, he's plotting, is he?" Buffy laughed and ignored the worried looks coming from her friends. "We know his game, Spike. We're dealing with it. There's a spell that'll make him less invincible, therefore killable."

"Great, a bloody spell," Spike said, fuming as he began to pace the kitchen floor. "What's gonna stop him when he comes after you before you do that spell? More magic? A cloaking spell perhaps? You think that's gonna work on somethin' as strong and powerful as Angelus?"

"It's not Angelus and it's not Angel," Buffy replied. "He's someone-something else."

"For a second there I almost believed you, but I spent many years with Angelus. I know him," Spike retorted and Buffy rolled her eyes. "No spell is going to keep him from coming after you and yours," he said and he shook his head as he stopped pacing. "No use running and hiding either."

"When's the shit gonna stop flying outta his mouth?" Faith muttered quietly to Buffy. "He was wrong about Dawn and the monks, who's to say he ain't wrong about this?"

Buffy shrugged and forced herself not to smile at the way Faith wiggled her eyebrows at her, their eyes having a completely different conversation. Buffy knew what Faith was thinking, that Spike coming there with "information" was just a joke, an excuse to wedge his way back into their lives.

"Giles? Deal with him," Buffy said simply as she took Faith's hand and led her back outside. She just wanted some fresh air and she'd missed that warm Californian sunshine far more than she thought she had. She looked over at Faith and saw an expectant look on her face. She groaned as she leaned into her as they sat down on the back steps. "We're not continuing the conversation we were having before Spike showed up."

"Didn't think we were," Faith shrugged. "Just knew I couldn't stay inside much longer either. Starting to feel a little cooped up. Can you get cabin fever like this? Swear I never felt like this when I spent all those years in prison."

"What did you feel then?"

"Mostly? Locked up. Probably the same way it feels when ya get grounded and sent to your room without dinner. Wouldn't know really, bad example but as close as I can get to how it felt," Faith replied with a shrug. "What's Spike's deal anyway? I get that he's trying to help, but he's really not helping at all here. Just getting in the way is more like it."

Buffy shrugged, not knowing what Spike was trying to do other than try to get into their lives again. The last thing they needed was Spike interfering, thinking he was helping when all he was doing was being a nuisance. So much had happened and this was only the start of their third day back in Sunnydale. Only. It made Buffy feel a little helpless about the situation they were facing; a situation that she knew had even barely begun. Spikes intentions were-good not being the word Buffy was looking for, but she knew he wanted Angel out of the picture as much as the rest of them did. With a groan, she leaned more into Faith, sighing heavily as Faith slipped an arm around her.

"When does the normal part of this wish kick in?" Buffy mused and she felt Faith shrug as her fingers stroked along her hip just under her shirt.

"Dunno, B," Faith said quietly as she kissed the top of Buffy's head. "Gotta make the most of well, everything until all that normal shit kicks in, don't we?"

"Except the fact we can't do anything together while we're here and Giles' whole plan on having us hiding out here, all of us together doesn't really..." Buffy trailed off, feeling herself blush at the thought of thinking of getting Faith alone and not to mention naked at a time like this. "Crap."

"There's always the shed," Faith said as she motioned towards the small shed Buffy knew only held gardening supplies and possibly a bicycle or two nobody ever used. "Ain't glamorous or anything, but it'll work and it's technically not in your ma's house so she can't give ya shit for not respecting her rules and all that."

Buffy looked up at her and burst out laughing. "You are serious, aren't you?"

"In case you've forgotten, B, I love ya and that means I want every inch of that delicious body of yours all to myself more often than naught."

"You're starting to talk like Giles," Buffy giggled.

"Giles talks about wanting your body?" Faith asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion as she stared down at a still giggling Buffy. "It's 'cause I said naught, isn't it?"

"Wait," Buffy said, trying to still the giggles escaping past her lips. "You only love me 'cause of my body?"

"Smokin' hot body is just a major perk," Faith grinned. "Yeah I love ya 'cause you're such a spaz, but I also love ya 'cause you're Buffy. Like I said, smokin' hot body is just a perk, major perk, and I wanna spend as much quality time alone with it as I can."

"Yet quality time that just won't happen," Buffy muttered under her breath. "Except for last night before everything went kind of bad with the no food thing and the you freaking out thing that brought us here and my mom going all "mom" on us."

"Well most of it didn't suck, you know aside from the part you woke up with some kinda demon growling in your stomach," Faith chuckled and she winked at Buffy before they just settled into one another again. "Just wish it didn't have to end up that way. Would've liked to wake up with ya all cuddled up in my arms and shit."

"Always with the words that are so sweet and so crude at the same time."

"Hey! You like my words. In fact, you liked me sayin'-"

Buffy shut her up before she could continue by kissing her. It was either that or clamp a hand over her mouth, the kissing thing looking far more appealing than the latter in that moment. There were small little moments like this that made Buffy wonder where this side of Faith had been hiding in all the years she'd known her. She liked this side of Faith, the easy-going Faith who had no walls built up around her. She had a slightly dorky side to her and Buffy loved it.

"Well this is new," Anya said, breaking them away from their kiss.

_When did she get here_, Buffy wondered as she looked over at Anya standing not even five feet away from them. "What's new?"

"You and Faith with the kissing and the moon eyes," she replied. "Is Xander inside?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "Along with everyone else. When did you get here?"

"Just now," Anya said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "And you would've seen me walk around here if you and Faith weren't all with the lovey-dovey moon eyes and kissage. When did _that_ happen, anyway?"

"Back in Scotland," Faith replied easily. "Nice to see ya alive and well, Anya."

"Right," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Xander was supposed to meet me this morning."

"Guess he forgot, you know with the whole Angel and the First shit looming over our heads," Faith replied coldly. "If ya didn't get it yet, me and B here were having a moment before ya decided to pop up uninvited."

Anya rolled her eyes and walked past them into the house. Faith let out a laugh and leaned back on the steps, shaking her head as she stared at Buffy.

"Nice to know she's still as annoying as ever," Faith said with a smirk.

"Oh you have no idea how annoying she can really be. You barely saw the annoying side when you came back to help with the First."

"Yeah, but she ain't all that bad. Aside from the fact she told me to stay away from her Xander even though they weren't even together."

"She was telling everyone that, even me and I've never even been with Xander like that!"

"You ever think about it?"

"Ew," Buffy said as she scrunched up her face in disgust. "Xander is my friend. I've _never_ thought of him like that! Except that one time when he did this love spell but that so doesn't count."

"Yeah, right. Keep convincing yourself that," Faith laughed. Buffy shot her a glare, but even she started laughing after a moment. They heard the others yelling inside and they both exchanged a look. "Maybe we should get back in there?" Faith asked and Buffy shrugged. "You know, before someone gets a little crazy and goes on some kinda killing spree."

"Won't happen. They don't have it in them."

"Spike and Anya do," Faith shrugged. "Or there's always the shed," she said with an eyebrow wiggle and a smirk that made Buffy roll her eyes. "B, we gotta talk."

"We are talking."

Faith's face slipped into serious-mode and Buffy tried not to let the panic fill her. Rarely had she ever seen Faith look so serious and it scared her.

"Nobody has told ya what happened when you were poisoned, have they?" Faith asked her and Buffy furrowed her brows in confusion. "Figured as much. While you were sleeping, you said things."

"Like? What did I say, Faith?"

"Stuff," she shrugged, suddenly looking like she wasn't so sure she wanted to talk anymore. She cleared her throat and put a bit of space between them on the steps. "Hurtful stuff and even though I know it wasn't you saying those things, still fuckin' hurt like a bitch."

"What did I say?"

"That I'm not good enough to love you, that I'm in love with the image of you," she said so quietly Buffy had hardly been able to hear her. "I know it ain't the truth and I know it wasn't you sayin' that shit, B, but it still hurt."

"You are good enough to love me," Buffy said softly as she reached for her hand. "You're the only one I've ever felt like me, all of me."

"Buffy, I _know_ that, believe me I do, just it's been bugging me since. Giles and Di convinced me it was just the mystical poison in ya making you say that shit."

"If you know that, then why...?"

Faith shrugged and Buffy decided then that really hated it when she shrugged. It felt like a copout instead of actually saying what she felt. Faith didn't say a word and she was refusing to even look at her. Buffy sighed angrily as she got up from the steps.

"Why are you telling me this now? Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?"

"Dunno," Faith said and she shrugged again, wincing when she saw the anger flare up in Buffy's eyes. "Kept thinking if I just forgot about it, I'd you know actually forget about it."

"But?"

"You don't see it?" Faith asked as she stood up and forced Buffy to stop pacing. "You're _different_, B. That poison did something to you."

"What? No it didn't do anything to me other than make me sick!"

"You're weaker," Faith said quietly as she grabbed onto Buffy's hands. "I felt it last night. Kept trying to write it off as you being tired or somethin', but I know that ain't it."

"So, what now, Faith?"

"You tell Giles about it, sure there's some kinda explanation for you being weaker than you were when the poison was still in ya."

Buffy had spent the better part of the last year trying to figure out why Faith said things the way she did, but it was just Faith-speak and she seemed to talk in circles without meaning to. Buffy didn't feel any different, any weaker, but it wasn't like she could test her strength on herself and know the difference. Faith would know and how she knew, the thought of it made Buffy blush and pull her hands away from Faith's. It took her a minute before she realized she was having an inner conversation with herself and Faith obviously had no clue what she was blushing for.

Deciding to let this conversation go, which was pretty much over once Buffy's inner conversation with herself had started, she pulled Faith towards the shed, wanting nothing more than to forget what she just said and get lost in her girlfriend as they made out like the horny teenagers they now were. Again.

* * *

An hour in the shed had left Buffy more worked up than she should've been feeling after being thoroughly fucked while trying to avoid all the sharp, pointy gardening tools. They couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other when they went back inside the house either. It was just a little touch here and there, holding hands until Joyce looked over and Buffy pulled her hand out of Faith's so fast it left Faith looking a little perplexed at Buffy's actions.

They were all sitting around the living room, all but Willow who had gotten in touch with Tara and went to meet up with her on the other end of town, and Dawn who had gone along with her. Anya and Xander were deep in conversation, about what, none of them seemed to know or care. Giles and Joyce were deep in a conversation of their own as well, leaving Buffy's mind racing, coming up with all sorts of crazy plans to get her and Faith alone so she could get rid of the built up tension winding itself up inside of her. Faith caught Buffy's wandering gaze and gave her a smouldering smile that literally made her whole body buzz.

"We're gonna end up going crazy," Buffy whispered to Faith. "Having all of us in this house for a week? Definitely gonna go crazy."

"Hey, it wasn't my genius idea to hole up here like cowards."

"I know," Buffy said, frowning as Giles shot them a pointed glare before going back to discussing whatever it was he was talking to Joyce about. "Maybe that "no sleeping in the same bed" rule won't apply anymore now that everyone is staying here?"

"Maybe," Faith grinned as she moved a hand to rest on Buffy's thigh. "And if she lets it slide, we'll just have to be really, really quiet."

Buffy stopped Faith's hand from sliding up her thigh, all too painfully aware of them not being alone enough for some naughty touching. "Stop," she said softly, pleading Faith with her eyes to have some mercy on her raging hormones that were becoming harder and harder to control. Faith moved her hand back to her thigh and Buffy groaned, mouthing "please stop" to her before she got the hint and took her hand away.

"You mind if I grabbed a shower?" Faith asked as she stood up quickly. Buffy wasn't sure who she was asking, her or her mother, but Faith didn't wait for an answer and headed upstairs as quickly as she could without actually running.

"What's with her?" Xander asked, finally pulling his attention away from Anya.

"She's horny and Buffy won't let her touch her in front of everyone else without causing a scene straight out of the teenage lesbian handbook," Anya replied and upon Buffy's annoyed groan, she looked at Xander with a shrug. "There's no handbook?"

"No, well there is a handbook, but not quite the way you just described it," Xander said calmly. "And you know this is the kind of stuff you can't be saying, Anya. We've been over this a million times."

"I know that, but I'm feeling very traumatized here!"

"I think we all are," Xander replied as he sympathetically patted her shoulder. "It'll be okay, you'll see, Anya. And hey, one good thing about this is I got both eyes!"

"You could've at least got Faith to wish you back here being the age you were when you left. That'd make things so much _less_ confusing and I wouldn't have to ask about handbooks and why Buffy and Faith are suddenly orgasm buddies when the last time I checked, they hated each other."

Buffy rolled her eyes and headed upstairs, really not in the mood to deal with Anya running her mouth, as normal as it was when it came to her. she could her Anya's mindless rambling and arguing with Xander as she walked into her bedroom and nearly slammed the door shut behind her. She already had enough to deal with and she really didn't want to add Anya into that mix. Xander could handle her, she knew he could and she almost wished they didn't have to be in _her_ house in order to deal with the big turn in events that was their lives.

She could hear the shower running and tried not to let thoughts of a naked and wet Faith invade her mind. But as soon as she tried not to, they came rushing to the front of her brain. She groaned loudly and fell face first onto her bed, burying her face into the pillow and she tried to think of anything but a naked, wet, sexy Faith in her shower. She knew if they were still back in Scotland, she wouldn't be thinking twice about restraining herself, she'd be right there with Faith in the shower.

It dawned on her that she never really thought about when her thoughts of Faith began to change. It was before the kiss, at least she could admit that now, that she'd wondered all the "what ifs" when it came to them, most of those what ifs already becoming real. Never in a million years did she ever think she'd be lying on her bed thinking of all the naughty things she could be doing to a naked, wet, sexy Faith in the shower, but those thoughts felt natural to her now. Scarily natural.

She knew their relationship wasn't perfect and that it was only just really beginning to unfold. Yet something would always get in the way and "stall" them where they were. Now her "what ifs" were about how things could be if their situation hadn't changed, if they hadn't been sent back four years to relive their life from the point before everything went wrong.

"Deep thoughts, B?" Faith asked, nearly making her jump up from her bed in surprise. "Or were they sexy thoughts?"

Buffy laughed as she looked over at Faith looming in the doorway looking unsure whether to come into her room or stay where it was "safe".

"Shower's free," Faith said after Buffy didn't answer her. "Thought I'd save ya some hot water so you can get all freshened up before Willow brings back true love number one to do the spell."

"Don't you dare call her that around either of them," Buffy said pointedly as she got up from the bed and walked over to Faith. "Tara is...well, we know she doesn't remember any of us and was a little freaked when Willow tracked her down, so she's a little delicate and sceptical about all of us. Plus, you never really knew her."

"Only met her when I was in your body," Faith muttered bitterly. "And I still find it funny I knew Willow wasn't driving stick anymore before any of you guys knew."

"It's not funny."

"Kinda is," Faith smirked. "I didn't even know the chick and I knew she and Willow were fuckin' like lust bunnies every chance they got. And relax, B, I ain't gonna go and make Tara all uncomfortable. In case you've forgotten, I left the asshole side of me back when I went to prison."

"That asshole side is still there, you just hide it better."

"Yeah with a wicked pair of leather pants," Faith chuckled and she stopped Buffy from trying to walk around her to get out of her room. "You ain't worried about this spell they're gonna do are you?"

"No."

"Ain't worried that Dawn is a little more powerful than any of us thought?"

"Just a little bit. Kind of came out of nowhere, you know? Then again, when she was in England with Giles, none of us knew just what she was doing there. Giles wasn't too big on the sharing thing whenever they came to visit either."

"So," Faith breathed out as she easily wrapped her arms around Buffy to keep her where she was. "What were ya thinkin' about when I came in? Kinda hard to sneak up on a slayer unless she's deep in thought or passed the hell out."

"I was thinking about us," Buffy replied, smiling as Faith licked over her lips and tried to back them up into her room. "Not just _us_, but all of us. Despite the situation we're in with Angel and the First, I mean, how often do you get a second chance at life to not make all the same stupid mistakes you made the first time around?"

"Slim to none?"

"Right, so, for all the bad we need to look at the good too, right?" Buffy sighed as she momentarily became distracted by the feel of Faith's hands running up and down her back slowly. "We get rid of Angel and the First and we don't implode Sunnydale, anything is possible."

"Anything has always been possible," Faith said and she leaned in to kiss Buffy softly. "Being with you is proof of that. So was that all you were thinkin' about or were you thinking sexy, naughty thoughts too?"

"There were a few," Buffy said easily, smiling as Faith wiggled her eyebrows and motioned towards the bed. "And now really isn't the time for that. Besides, we have rules to follow."

"Rules. Whatever. Since when have you followed any rules but your own?"

"Since I live in my mother's house? It's different here than it was back in Scotland, Faith."

"No shit, Sherlock," Faith said, rolling her eyes as she let her arms fall away from Buffy. This week is gonna be a living hell, isn't it?"

"No, just right now and especially since you mentioned it, I'd really like to have a shower before Willow and Dawn get back with Tara. And Faith?"

"Yeah, B?"

"You better dry your hair. You're dripping all over the carpet."

Buffy left Faith standing in the doorway of her bedroom with her mouth open as if she wanted to say something back, probably something dirty about liking the carpet wet. Buffy chuckled as she slipped into the bathroom and quickly locked the door behind her, knowing if she didn't, Faith would surely find a way inside to have her naughty way with her for the second time that morning.

Not that it'd be a bad thing if it weren't for several factors keeping her from jumping Faith's bones whenever she felt the urge. Alone time would be hard to come across; the days after they fought the Neqa'el proved that. But her getting time alone with Faith wasn't a top priority unfortunately and she just had to get over it and focus on what mattered most.

* * *

Faith kept her eyes on Tara, studying her, getting a real good look at the timid and shy blonde witch. They were waiting on Buffy, who was still upstairs getting dressed after taking the longest shower Faith had ever seen her take without Faith being in there with her. Willow had filled Tara in as much as she could and from what Faith overheard Dawn tell Giles, Tara thought they were all crazy up until the point where Willow told her things that she knew about her that nobody but a lover would ever know about someone.

Diana and Giles were discussing the spell with Willow, Tara, and Dawn, making sure they knew exactly what had to be done in order for the spell not to backfire. The spell itself didn't interest Faith; she'd never been one to be into the magicks. She left that up to those who understood and she just went for the kill.

Faith sat in the chair by the desk and used the knife she'd found in Buffy's weapons chest upstairs to carve a new stake. Most of the wood shavings landed in the garbage pail at her feet that Joyce had put there before she could even put the blade to the wood in her hand. It kept her hands busy and she didn't want to stand outside chain smoking. It wasn't as if Giles would allow that. She was told to stay within sight until the spell was prepared.

"The only downside to this spell is it will not work unless we're in the house," Giles said as they came into the living room from where they'd been in the dining room. "Is Buffy down yet?"

"Right here," Buffy said as she walked down the stairs. "Are we ready to do this spell?"

"Just about," Giles replied with a nod.

"Is there any way this spell can backfire?" Joyce asked nervously. "You know I'm not too familiar with magic and I'm not that comfortable with it either."

"Everything will be fine, Joyce," Giles assured her. "It's a cloaking spell and with three powerful Wiccan's casting it, nothing can go wrong unless they aren't careful and break the bond between them before it's done."

"Where do you want to do this?" Willow asked from beside a very nervous looking Tara. "Basement might be a better idea that doing it here. More room and a little less sunlight for Spike to worry about."

Faith waited for the others to head downstairs first and smiled at Buffy when she found her waiting at the top of the stairs for her. "Enjoy your shower, B?"

"Would've been more enjoyable if you were there," Buffy whispered, pulling her in for a deep kiss that lasted only a few seconds before she pulled away. "Let's get this done and over with. My mom seems to be freaking out a little more than usual."

Faith nodded and followed Buffy down to the basement to join the others. They were instructed to stand together as Willow, Dawn, and Tara stood in a circle around them. The spell didn't call for any ingredients, just chanting, joining of hands and of power to make the cloaking spell work.

Faith could feel Spike standing behind her and she stepped closer to Buffy and grabbed onto her hand, easily intertwining their fingers as they waited for the Wiccan's to begin the spell. She hated being so close to a vampire and not being able to fight it and stake it. The slayer inside of her was screaming, "kill it", but she had to tune it out the same way she had learned to tune it out when she was around Angel before. She still didn't trust Spike and she had a feeling none of the others really did either.

Willow began chanting softly in what Faith knew was Latin, Dawn joining in a minute later followed by Tara. She felt a hum surround her and she knew without a doubt that the others were feeling it too. The magic was going through them, doing what it was supposed to-at least she hoped it was. It began to feel a little intense and Faith closed her eyes, feeling Buffy squeeze her hand as the sound of wind rushed past them, circling them, going over, around, and through them.

When the chanting stopped, the buzz going through her body did too and Faith opened her eyes and looked right at Willow. It worked. The look in Willow's eyes told her that much, but Tara was looking a little worse for the wear and moved quickly to sit down on the steps, clutching at her chest as if she was struggling to breathe.

"That bloody well hurt!" Spike growled. "Like a damn stake through the heart it did."

"I didn't feel anything," Buffy shrugged. "Except for this little humming buzz through my body. Felt kind of nice actually."

"Why didn't anyone tell me that would hurt?" Spike growled as he began pacing the floor.

"Didn't hurt," Joyce said calmly. "Did it work though?"

"Yes," Willow said as she walked over to Tara and knelt down in front of her. "Are you okay?"

"That was-that was more than I-I ever did before."

"But you're okay?"

Tara nodded, but Faith could tell she was far from okay. The spell hadn't hurt her, just drained her, yet Dawn and Willow seemed to be fine. The magic they tapped into was deeper than anything Tara ever touched, that much was obvious, but Faith already knew Willow sensed that. She watched as Willow helped Tara up the stairs, the others following behind them.

"Giles, can I talk to you?" Faith called out before he could head up the stairs with the others.

"What about, Faith?"

"About the scythe," she replied and watched Buffy keep walking up the stairs leaving her in the basement alone with Giles and Spike. "More about the spell Willow did on the scythe before that made all the potentials turn into slayers."

"What about it?"

"I don't think we should do it again," she stated simply. "I don't think we should have to put all those girls through this if we don't need them."

"What if we do need them?" Giles asked and Spike nodded in agreement. "What if you and Buffy cannot fight Angel and the First on your own?"

"We can and we will, unless..." she trailed off, wondering if the idea was completely ridiculous.

"Unless what?" Spike asked before Giles could say a word. "Spit it out, Slayer."

"There has to be a way to only call a handful of potentials into slayers, right? No more than what we'd need to fight them and win."

Giles thought for a moment, making a "hmm" sound as he slid his glasses off and wiped the lenses with the edge of his shirt. "I haven't thought of that. There has to be a way to do just that, tap into just enough of the scythe's power to take what we need, leaving the rest-"

"Best damn idea I've heard all day," Spike said and he grinned at Faith. "Who knew the dark slayer had some brains after all."

"Oh fuck off, Spike."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Angel roared as he slammed his fist into the nearest tree. "This is not acceptable! How can they be one step ahead of us when we're supposed to be the ones one step ahead?"

"Patience," the First said as it slipped out of the shadows. "We're still ahead of them. They just don't know it yet."

"I have no patience left! I should've just killed them when I had the chance!"

The First, still wearing its true form, stepped in front of Angel, stopping him from sending another punch to the tree next to him. "I have a plan, Angelus. One I'm sure will get them right where you want them. I just need a different body to wear, one that isn't so obvious."

"One that can slip inside that little group of theirs, take them out from the inside?" Angel asked, grinning as he realized the First's plan without needing to hear anymore. "Who did you have in mind?"

"You'll see. And once the slayers are out of the picture, you know what that means."

"The fun begins," Angel grinned, turning his face up to the sky, soaking in the sun he hadn't felt in over two hundred years. This was only the beginning and he couldn't wait for things to really start to heat up and once the slayers were out of the picture, the First's plans to open every last Hellmouth around the world at once would finally happen.

And only the truest evil would walk the earth. Just the way it once was eons ago.

* * *

"You can't leave!" Buffy said to Giles as he headed for the front door. "You said nobody can leave the house!"

"There are a few things I need to get," Giles said calmly. "I won't be gone longer than twenty minutes, I assure you."

"You couldn't have thought about bringing anything with you before you came here?" Xander asked, joining Buffy and Giles by the front door. "You knew about this spell before we came here and now you're leaving after you told us we can't?"

Giles sighed heavily, shaking his head as he reached for the doorknob. "There are a few texts that I need. Faith brought something up while we were down in the basement about the spell Willow used on the scythe before. If we're going to be holed up in this house, I want to at least further explore our options and use the time we still have to make sure we all survive the coming fight."

"I thought the scythe is useless?" Willow asked as she joined them in the front hallway.

"Not entirely. Angel was trying to throw us off, thinking we'd fall for his lies and not try to get it for ourselves," Giles replied. "I'll be twenty minutes, hardly enough time for Angel or the First to get to me."

Giles left the three of them standing there speechless. Buffy wanted to run after him, but she knew it was useless. Giles had his mind set on getting the books he wanted to get and when Giles had his mind set on something, not even a slayer could stop him without using brute force, something Buffy really didn't want to do or found useful in this situation.

Buffy growled in annoyance and joined the others in the living room. She sat down next to Faith on the couch and crossed her arms with a huff. "I can't believe him," Buffy muttered. "He tells us we can't leave and then he just leaves!"

"B, what's the worst that can happen? It's not like Angel or the First is gonna be at his place waiting for him, right? Besides, Giles wouldn't go unless it was important. You know that. Just relax, okay?"

"Maybe you're right," Buffy sighed and she relaxed a little bit, watching as Xander and Dawn fought over the remote for the TV. "This is going to be a really long week, isn't it?"

"There's a bright side though," Willow chipped in, smiling as she sat on the other side of Buffy on the couch. "It'll kind of be like a mini-vacation only without the whole actual going somewhere for said vacation. We'll just hang out here, watch lots and lots of movies we've seen a hundred times. It'll be like old times!"

Buffy saw Faith roll her eyes and she just shrugged as she leaned into her side and pulled Faith's arm so it was around her. "I guess it could be worse," she said and she looked at Faith who wasn't paying attention to her. She was too busy watching the tug-o-war for the remote, clearly amused by the whole exchange.

"Guys?" Willow said as she used her foot to nudge Xander in the back as he sat on the floor still struggling to wrestle the remote from Dawn. "Guys?" She said a little louder, really kicking Xander in the back until he let go of the remote.

"Aha!" Dawn laughed as she leapt up and held the remote up into the air. "Victory!"

"No fair!" Xander grumbled as he rubbed his back. "Did you have to kick me so hard, Will?"

"Sorry," Willow said, trying not to laugh.

"That was more entertaining than any of the shit on TV," Faith chuckled. "Thanks for ruining the entertainment, Red."

"Anytime."

"Where's Tara?" Buffy asked Willow, not having seen Tara since the basement.

"She's upstairs in the spare room resting. I should probably check on her. The spell kind of wore her out. I didn't think it would. I barely felt it and I know Dawn barely felt it too."

"Do you think she's still pretty freaked out?" Buffy asked and Willow half shrugged and nodded at the same time. "Don't you wonder how Anya and Spike are still the same and still remember everything from before and she doesn't?"

"I do wonder, but there's no definite answer. There was just some things, okay a lot of things, we won't ever be able to find out. If Danu was here...she might be able to help us make some sense out of these sorts of things," Willow said quietly. "But she's not here. She's dead because of me."

"She's dead because she offered to give up her life to close that portal," Faith said harshly. "And I'm starting to wonder why nobody else made a fuckin' wish but me. You all knew what she was capable of and yet...I'm the only one that took her up on that offer. Why's that?"

Buffy stared at her, unsure of what to say at first. "Maybe you're the only one who didn't have a selfish wish?" She offered, not too sure about the answer herself.

"That's what I don't get, B! Everything about that wish was fucking selfish when you really break down all the facts here."

"Well, we'll never know," Willow said sadly as she got up from the couch. "I should go check on Tara, make sure she's okay and see if she needs anything. I also think I should talk to her, really explain to her about well...everything. Didn't have much time before when Dawnie and I met up with her to fully explain things. Will one of you guys come and get me when Giles comes back? I want to look over those texts he's bringing back."

Buffy settled into Faith more as Faith stretched out on the couch. The room fell silent aside from the sounds coming from the TV as Dawn flipped through the channels trying to find something to watch. Xander, having thoroughly given up on trying to get control over the TV got up and headed for the kitchen in search of food. Anya just sat in the armchair staring blankly at the TV as she had been doing for the last half an hour, barely flinching at the commotion between Xander and Dawn and looking catatonic. Buffy knew her mother was upstairs on the phone with one of her co-workers, probably trying to convince them she needed a week off work and using whatever excuse seemed believable.

_I really can't wait for some real time off_, Buffy thought as she stole a glance at Faith. _After all these years and all we've been through, we really do deserve a real vacation. Not just downtime, a real vacation_.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, feeling warm and safe in Faith's arms and ignoring that feeling of dread building up deep inside of her. It'd pass just like all the times before, but it wasn't just the feeling of dread, it was the taste of it and it tasted of fear. She leaned up and kissed Faith softly, hoping to ward off the feeling and the bitter taste in her mouth. It worked, but only until Faith pulled back at Dawn's disgusted and annoyed grunt aimed right at them.

Buffy smiled as Faith flipped Dawn off. It was good to know there wasn't a whole lot that had changed with them and it was the small things that counted, that mattered more than anything else did. Yet she hadn't forgotten what Faith had told her earlier while they'd been outside and she was almost glad she hadn't gone too much into detail about what she'd been saying in her sleep while the magical poison was still in her.

"Bad things always happen to me," Buffy said quietly under her breath and she felt Faith shift on the couch slight and she wondered if Faith had heard her. A quick glance told her no since Faith's eyes were closed, her heartbeat steady, her breathing even. "Are you tired?" Buffy asked just loud enough for Faith to hear her.

"Just a bit," she replied. "Little nap wouldn't hurt right about now. Actually a nap is looking better and better as the seconds go on by."

"We can go upstairs if you want?"

"What about the "rules", B?"

"We're just going to have a nap. We're hardly breaking any rules there."

"Giles'll be back soon."

"So?" Buffy said as she moved from Faith's arms and got up from the couch. "If he finds anything important enough that we need to know about right away, someone will come and get us."

"Are you two for real?" Dawn asked as Faith got up from the couch and started to follow Buffy to the stairs. "Do you two even know how to keep your hands off each other?"

"We're just going for a nap!" Buffy exclaimed, rolling her eyes at the sceptical look on Dawn's face. "I'm serious, that's all we're doing!"

"So "nap" is code-word for sex now?" Dawn asked, laughing as Anya suddenly turned her attention to them. "Good to know."

"It's not a code-word for anything, Dawn!"

"B, just leave it," Faith said, urging her towards the stairs. "Let her think whatever the hell she wants to think. Never bothered you so much before."

"We weren't having sex before!"

"B?" Faith laughed as she tried to calm her down. "Come on, babe. It's not as big of a deal as you're making it out to be. Dawn is just fuckin' with us 'cause she knows it'll get you all riled up. It's her sick way of finding some entertainment. Ain't it, Dawn?"

"Got it in one," Dawn smirked and Buffy huffed as she marched up the stairs with Faith in tow.

"I just wish she'd grow up," Buffy said once they were in her room. "Why does she think whenever we want to be alone that we're going off to have sex?"

"Probably 'cause we should be," Faith shrugged and ducked out of the way quickly before Buffy could slap her. She fell back onto the bed, laughing as she stared over at Buffy. "Oh come on, can you blame her for thinking that's all we wanna do? We're hot and we're young, in love, all that crap. It's only natural everyone just assumes we wanna get naked together all the time, you know."

"You know who Dawn kinda reminds me of sometimes?" Buffy asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Kennedy."

"Yeah she does a little bit, huh? Damn," Faith sighed and sat up and moved to sit behind Buffy. "You think we'll get Kennedy back? Even though she was a fuckin' brat sometimes, she was still one of my best friends and a damn good slayer."

"I don't know," Buffy replied and she turned to face Faith. "How about we just shut off our brains for an hour and have that nap you were so eager to have five minutes ago."

They settled down on Buffy's bed, lying in each other's arms and letting the warm Californian sun that was coming in through the window warm them as they easily drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

Giles tried to hurry, gathering as many books off the shelves in his apartment as he could. It took three trips to his car before he had to stop, the hot Californian sun and the dry heat of the late morning promising a long, hot day, was something he definitely hadn't missed. He stopped at his desk and sat down, knowing it had been well past the twenty minutes he promised the others he'd be gone, but the heat and the couple of trips back and forth with boxes of books had taken a toll on his body and he needed to rest if not just for a moment.

"Had to come alone, didn't I? Couldn't have talked even Xander into coming to help," Giles muttered as he took off his glasses and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bloody heat'll be the death of me before anything else."

"Never knew you were one to talk to yourself, Ripper," Angel said as he stood in the doorway suddenly, causing Giles to jump in his chair. It fell backwards and he scrambled to get to his feet. "Not quite the young thing you once were, but you were older just days before so that makes you younger now, doesn't it?"

Angel smirked as he slammed the door shut behind him and grabbed onto the front of Giles shirt. Giles tried not to panic, but he knew this Angel would hurt him if he tried to fight him off. This angel was worse than Angelus, if that was even possible.

"Nifty little spell those witches cast," Angel grinned as he easily tossed Giles across the room. "Too bad it stopped working on you once you left the house, huh? Bet you're wishing you never left alone and for what, books?" Angel shook his head as he moved quickly to Giles' side as he lay slumped up against the now broken bookshelf. "Also bet you're wishing I'll kill you right about now, aren't ya?"

"What do you want?" Giles asked, coughing and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Well, of course I'll kill ya, well it won't be me per se, but you'll still be dead in a matter of minutes. Why, you ask?" Angel laughed as he pointed behind him as the First walked out of the hallway slowly. "See my buddy over there? He needs a different body to wear. Yours seems like a perfect temporary replacement, don'tcha think so, Ripper?"

"Go to hell," Giles said through gritted teeth. "Buffy and the others will put an end to you, to the First, before you can carry out whatever asinine plan you have."

"Really would _love_ to see them try, but I can't actually see them. Not right now at least, not until my buddy here can reverse the spell the cast and you better believe he will."

"I am not your _buddy_," the First growled as it took a few steps closer to Giles and knelt down, sniffing him. "He'll do. He's fresh, good but with a hint of darkness inside his soul as well."

"Darkness that will never be harboured for as long as I am alive."

"Good think Firsty here plans to kill you in oh, about thirty seconds. Is that right?" Angel asked, laughing sadistically and he poked at Giles' chest.

"Not quite yet," the First said as he pushed Angel away from Giles. "I need to prepare and I need you to make sure he doesn't try to escape."

"Can I rough him up a little?"

"No."

Giles groaned, barely able to move on his own from the pain of being thrown across the room into the wall and bookshelf. Even if he could move, he'd never make it to the door and he knew he'd never make it to the phone and be able to call for Buffy's help.

"I thought you said we'd get to have a little fun?" Angel asked, almost whining like a child and not a grown man.

"We will have our fun, Angelus," the First said as he moved slowly, the demon aspect of his body large and too slow for what he needed it for, that much was clear. "But patience is key in this instance. We need to get inside their little group, play our games with them, but first we've got to get that spell they cast lifted so you can have you fun."

"Won't be near as much fun as watching you kill them all," Angel grinned and he walked back over to Giles and knelt down in front of him, grabbing onto his face and forcing Giles to look at him. "It's just a damn shame you won't be around to see us rip your precious slayers apart, isn't it?"

"They'll stop you."

"No, but they'll _try_ to and end up getting themselves killed while they do it. But I'll let you in on a little secret here, Ripper. They won't be the first ones to go, oh no. That witch, Willow, and the former Key looks like they be nice and tasty appetizers to start off with. I think I'll save Buffy for last."

"But you're human."

"Am I? Angel morphed into his game face and licked over his fangs. "Appearances are deceiving, aren't they? You know how far magic can go, or at least you thought you did. The magic that exists in the underworld is until anything anyone has ever seen here on the mortal plane. Buffy, Faith, and the others have no idea what they're about to face. I'm their second biggest nightmare, Firsty over there is the big one and when he gathers enough strength, this world will become the way it'd once been long before humans ever existed."

"You plan to open a Hellmouth," Giles sighed, knowing there had to be more to this. The First wasn't going to do things small this time, not after it had failed the last time.

"Not just _a_ Hellmouth. Every single one that exists in this word, even the ones long thought to be dormant."

"Angelus," the First growled. "Do not speak to him of our plans."

"What? He'll be dead soon. It's not like he can actually tell any of them this. Plus don't you just love the smell of fear?" Angel asked, grinning widely as he easily shook out of his game face and stared long and hard into Giles' eyes. "I don't know about you, but I _love_ the smell of fear. Makes me want to take a little taste. Always make the blood run a little hotter, a little sweeter and makes me enjoy it that much more."

"You do not get to taste him! You damaged the body enough as it is. The others cannot be suspicious when I return to them wearing his body as my own."

"Good lord," Giles groaned, trying to stay conscious as long as he could, trying hard to tap into the big of magicks he had stored up inside. If only he could call out to Willow, get her to get Buffy and Faith there to help him before it was too late.

"What's the fun in all of this if I can't eat?" Angel asked and he pulled out a small knife from the inside of his long leather coat. "Just one little taste, somewhere covered, somewhere none of them will see."

"They'll figure it out," Giles said sharply, holding his breath as Angel slid the blade over his throat, pressing just hard enough so he could feel just how sharp it was. "They'll know it's not me."

"Maybe, maybe not, but we're not worried about that right now. We just need to get in long enough to find that spell and lift it so we can really get to work with our plans. Then again," Angel said and let out an obviously unnecessary breath, "using you-not you, just your body-was a part of the plan, that cloaking spell pushed it back just a little bit. Thank goodness the good Watcher can't seem to part from his books for very long, huh?"

"Angelus-"

"I am not Angelus, I am something far greater than Angelus could ever imagine he could be," Angel said, laughing in Giles' face, the smell of blood lingering on his breath. "Besides, only Firsty here is the one allowed to call me that. He did, after all, create me. He's like a father and a mother; one that is far better than the real thing, not like I remember what that was like. Been far too long."

Giles was too weak to tap into his magical reserves and far too scared to try any harder. His death was imminent; he knew that and he knew there was no way he'd get out of this alive. The First could take form of any living being now that Percy Chapman had done a spell, one that was never thought to be in existence. He knew the others would be able to pull through this, that they'd be able to put an end to this without him. His faith in those he considered his family was strong and he would hold onto that until he took his last breath.

"You know, we already tried to get inside the slayers' heads, tried to pull them apart. Turns out they aren't as stupid and gullible as we hoped they'd be. That and their love is pure," Angel said and he pressed the tip of the blade into Giles' chest just above the neck of his shirt. "Pure. Can you believe that load of shit? Buffy and Faith have a pure love, _pure_."

"They are two halves of the same soul," Giles replied. "Made for one another, made from one another. Nothing can sever the bond they have now."

"But it wasn't always that way between them, was it? Nope," Angel laughed as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "All it took was for Faithy to take a little walk along the dark side to sever that bond they were just beginning to find between them. And before you ask, I know this because he," Angel said as he pointed to the First, "he sees and knows all. Kind of like a God without being God. He spits on that soul that claims himself to be God. Let me ask you something, Ripper. Are you a man of faith? Do you believe in this so-called God? Where is He now, huh? Look at what He's allowed this mortal plane to become. He's weak and the First is strong, stronger than he's been in eons, yet not as strong as he can become."

"Angelus, would you shut up," the First bellowed, its eyes turning crimson red with anger. "I need to concentrate on the exchange of his soul for mine in order for this to work. I cannot do anything with you running your mouth and wasting precious time."

"This might hurt a little, Ripper," Angel smirked as he dragged Giles away from the broken bookshelf to the middle of the room, using one hand to push the heavy couch with ease out of the way. "Last time this happened, there was screaming. Are you a screamer?"

"Go to hell."

"Might meet you down there one of these day," Angel said and he waved off the First before he could tell him to shut up again. "Then again, maybe not. There's a little thing call immortality and to top it off, pretty much invincible here. No slayer is going to kill me. She can have fun trying."

Giles gritted his teeth, knowing Angel was wrong. He obviously didn't know about the spell the coven could cast on him to strip him of that immortality, to sever the ties he had with the First that made him the way he is now. Once that happened he'd be human, or rather vampire-whatever it was he is exactly now. Giles found himself laughing manically, feeling and tasting his death upon him and knowing this was it. This was the end.

He could hear the First chanting as it circled around his body and he could see Angel stepping back, watching with a smile on his face. It hurt as he felt his soul being ripped from his body slowly, and he felt peacefulness wash over, taking away the pain, numbing it. There were no regrets-aside from the obvious one of him being stupid enough to leave the Summers' house in the first place. He might not have gone out a hero, but as his last breath went through him, he knew it could've been much, much worse.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Angel asked impatiently. "They're gonna start wondering where the Watcher went off to and why he's been gone so long."

The First ignore him, continuing his chant as he left the body of his true form. The room filled of bright white light as he pulled the last of the Watcher's soul from its body, letting it flow to the netherworld and allowed his energy to take on the form of the Watcher's body.

"Now are you done?" Angel asked again as the First finished the chant, breathing in deeply and standing up in its newest body. "Looks good, let's go."

"Not so fast," it snapped as Angel turned to leave. "He's been gone a little longer than planned, at least from what I'd overheard. Another..." It paused, taking a few steps, getting use to the feel of its new body. "Twenty minutes, perhaps."

"And a little longer to get the whole persona of him down or else they're all going to know something is up before you find the damn cloaking spell so I can reverse it."

"Anger gets you nowhere in life, Angelus-"

"Patience, I know," Angel rolled his eyes. "I've got your body to," he glanced down at the body of the First's true form, "hide or bury, depends on how fast you start to rot. Fast I'm thinking. Where would you like me to bury you?"

"Take me to the caves. That body will not rot," the First said and cleared its throat. "Always takes a little getting used to, this whole actually being able to wear a real body. Come around sunrise. I'll have the spell reversed by then."

"If it's not, I won't be able to get near that house."

"It'll be done. Now go."

Angel grumbled as he dragged the demon corpse towards the door. He wasn't happy to be taking orders from the First, but it did give him life, created him as he is now, and bestowed upon him the title of a Champion of Evil. Aside from taking care of the demon corpse and moving it for safekeeping for when the First was done with the Watcher's body, he had some plans of his own, another vampire to visit, knowing damn well the cloaking spell didn't work on Spike.

Everyone had a trigger, Faith's had failed when the First had tried to use Buffy against her, but if there was one thing he could count on in this life was knowing that using Spike never failed. Spike was an idiot, just as he'd always been and always would be. The hardest part would be finding a way to get him out of the house where he could get to him.

And that wouldn't take much. Spike would run his mouth, piss off the slayers and end up being kicked out like the dog he truly is. Once he had Spike right where he wanted him, needed him, taking out the slayers' friends and family would be a piece of cake and once they were out of the picture-

"Oh yeah, life is definitely gonna get interesting around here," Angel grinned. He groaned in disgust as he dragged the body to the sewer entrance, checking the surroundings quickly to make sure he wouldn't be spotted.

The last thing he needed was attention brought upon himself. The plan needed to go through and he wasn't about to fail the First. He'd proven to be worthy to be the champion, but he still had a long ways to go before he could truly feel like one.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Faith woke up before Buffy did, the sunlight no longer coming in through the bedroom window. The house was eerily quiet and she stretched out slowly, careful not to wake Buffy up just yet. The clock on the bedside table told her it was almost eight and they'd slept most of the day away. She felt well rested, more so than she had in a very long time, but something wasn't right and she knew it. Nobody had woken them up when Giles returned unless they figured they'd let her and Buffy get as much rest as they needed right now.

"Hmm," Buffy sighed out as she stretched out slowly and turned her head to look at Faith. "That felt so good. Wait," she said as she sat up slowly. "Why is it dark?"

"Almost sunset," Faith replied. "We slept the whole day away, B."

"Why didn't anyone wake us up?"

Faith shrugged. "Was just trying to figure that out myself. Can't believe we slept that long."

"Well," Buffy said with a lazy smile as she laid back down next to Faith, "it's not like we got much sleep last night."

"No, but I definitely wasn't gonna complain about that," Faith laughed. "We should get downstairs, find out what we missed out on all day."

"My guess? Not much or else someone would've woke us up."

They got out of Buffy's bed and made their way downstairs. Giles and the others were sitting in the dining room going over a mountain of books they had laid out on the table. Anya and Joyce were the only ones not joining in the apparent research party and Faith headed for the kitchen with Buffy following close behind, letting her empty stomach lead her towards the smell of leftover pizza. Joyce and Anya were sitting at the kitchen island talking quietly, neither looking to Buffy or Faith as they grabbed a couple slices of pizza from the box.

"Anything new?" Buffy asked, interrupting Joyce and Anya's conversation about sleeping arrangements for the night.

"Giles just got back an hour ago," Anya replied.

"He said he'd only be twenty minutes."

"Said he had a few things to do," she shrugged.

"Did you two have a nice nap?" Joyce asked and Faith nodded her head as she bit into her pizza, taking half the slice into her mouth at once. "Nobody wanted to wake you. I know you two had a...rough night last night and didn't get much sleep."

"It was a nice nap," Buffy said with a smile as she looked right over at Faith who just smiled right back at her. "Very nice nap. I don't think I've slept that good in a long time. But someone should've woke us up when Giles didn't come back right away like he said he would."

"He's fine," Faith said as she looked into the living room at Giles. "If anything happened to him, we would've known about it."

"He came back acting strange," Anya said simply, keeping her voice quiet. "Joyce agrees with me. Something doesn't seem right with him."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked as she reached for another slice of pizza immediately after she polished the first one off. "What doesn't seem right?"

"We don't know," Joyce replied. "But Anya said we should be careful."

"Careful of what?"

Anya shrugged and Buffy joined Faith in staring at Giles in the dining room as he quietly instructed Xander to go through a thicker book than the one he was going through now. Faith let out a sigh and leaned up against the counter. She watched as Joyce got up from her stool, put the kettle on the stove, and turned the burner on. Joyce seemed to be avoiding her gaze and Faith wondered if it was because she and Buffy had spent the day sleeping in Buffy's bed after Joyce had told them they couldn't be in Buffy's room or bed together. It wasn't like they actually did anything, but Faith knew in the eyes of a parent, it didn't matter whether anything had happened.

"Are you putting tea on?" Giles asked as he appeared in the doorway. "I could use a cup, Joyce."

"Yes, I'm making some tea. Your usual, Rupert?"

"Of course," he said with a smile. "Buffy, Faith, nice of you two to join the land of the living again. Did you enjoy your nap?"

"Best nap ever," Buffy said, forcing a smile as she stood at Faith's side. "Is Spike still here?"

"In the basement. He blatantly refused to participate in research."

"No surprise there," Buffy replied and she motioned for Faith to follow her to the basement door.

Faith wasn't sure why Buffy was dragging her down to the basement, but she had an idea it had to do with Spike hiding out down there. She still didn't like the idea of Spike staying in the house with them, soulless and chipless at that. But if Buffy and the others trusted him, she'd have to at least try to keep the pointy end of her stake from finding his heart.

For now.

One wrong move and she was prepared to take Spike out. Their talk the other day had her convinced, just a little, that he was on their side. Unless he was the world's best actor and really playing with Angel and the First. There was no way to find out.

"What are we doing?" Faith whispered to Buffy as they made their way down the basement stairs quietly.

"Um," Buffy shrugged. "Don't feel like being upstairs."

"So you decided to come down and make small talk with the resident vampire?" Spike asked, leering at them from where he sat on top of the washing machine.

"Sure," Buffy said and she shrugged her shoulders again. "Spike, have you talked to Giles since he came back?"

"Sure have, luv," Spike replied and he pulled a cigarette out of his pack, offering Faith one before he lit it. "Something ain't right," he mused as he licked over his lips and held his Zippo out towards Faith. She lit her cigarette and looked over at Buffy, wondering what she'd say to that. "Ain't just the way he's been acting, it's the way he smells."

"He smells?" Buffy asked, laughing quietly as she hoisted herself up on the dryer. "He smells as in needs a shower or he smells...inhuman?"

"He smells of death, of evil," Spike said quietly. "I think something happened to him while he was out earlier. Heard the others bickering about going to find him when he didn't come back when he said he would. They were bickering about getting you two to go out and find him. In the end they decided not to, decided Rupert could handle himself. Turns out they're all wrong."

"Did you tell anyone else about this?" Faith asked him. "I mean if Giles isn't Giles, everyone should know. They're all up there alone with him right now."

"Like anyone would believe me," Spike muttered. "Sensing you both don't trust me either. All I've been doing is trying to help. Not my fault my help comes a little too late."

"What do we do then?" Faith asked, looking right at Buffy. "If it's not really Giles, we can't have it in the house."

"We don't even know what it is."

"I vote we kill it before it kills us," Spike said and he leaned back at the hard glares Buffy and Faith shot at him. "It's the First," he said after he took a long drag of his cigarette. "I'd know that smell anywhere."

"How do you know what it smells like?"

"Ran into it late last night. It was still in its true form then. I have a bit of other information too I wanted to tell you two without the others around. Figured you want to keep things private," Spike said and he slid off the washing machine and paced the floor. "That poison you had in you, Buffy, it allowed parts of the First inside of you. It's playing a game with you, all of you. Getting back at you for what you did before."

"Is it still inside of me?" Buffy asked in a voice so small that Faith knew she was growing terrified. "Is that what made me say those things in my sleep?"

"It always has ways to get inside your head, tear you apart where you are strong," Spike continued. "It's tried to come between you two, hasn't it?"

"Didn't work," Faith said and she offered Buffy a drag, but Buffy shook her head no. "Do you know if there's a way to find out if it's still inside her, Spike?"

"Doesn't smell like it. Once the poison is out, it no longer can get inside. All a part of the spell that young chap Percy cast to help make it a corporeal being. Too bad he got the easy way out, would've loved to kill him with my bare hands."

"How do you know all of this?" Faith asked, becoming a little more weary of him and his intentions.

"Information travels fast, luv, just gotta be in the right places at the right time to catch onto it before it continues on its way. The spell the witches cast could never keep the First away, it can only keep Angel away."

"Which is good because hello, he's invincible right now," Buffy pointed out. "So you are trying to say that the First is playing games with us? Why doesn't it just kill us or try to? Wouldn't that make more sense?"

"Gotta know evil to understand evil," Spike sneered and he looked at Faith. "You've had a taste. Explain it to your lover just how the mind works when you have the darkness inside of you controlling you, pushing you, feeding off you."

"Games are "fun" when you're evil, B. It makes the kill that much sweeter," she replied bitterly, hating the way those memories felt inside of her. "Once you start, you can't stop."

"But why games? Why with us? I get part of the reason why, we're the ones who stopped the First last time we faced it, but why...Giles?"

"Had to find its way inside somehow, didn't it?" Spike replied. "Either you tell the others about him, or we kill him before anything can happen to any of us."

"Would that kill the First?" Faith asked.

"Nothing can kill evil, especially not the purest, truest and the source of all evil," Spike said. "And it wouldn't kill Giles. Afraid he's already dead."

"Oh god," Buffy shivered, her whole body tensing up as it sank in. "Faith, do you really think that...this is true?"

"Dunno," Faith said as she kept her eyes on Spike as he continued pacing. "Don't really know who to trust right now, B. Gut instinct or the vampire. Funny thing is though? My gut is telling me the same thing Blondie Bear here is."

Spike growled at the pet name and Faith smirked, knowing it'd get him riled up. She wanted to see just how much of a threat he could be towards them and she knew it didn't take much to get him riled up. Yet as much fun as it was to play her own little game with Spike, if this was serious and true about Giles, they had to deal with it before the First could make a move of its own.

"What do we do?" Buffy asked, her face blank of all emotion as she stared at Faith. "I don't know what to do, Faith."

"Me neither, B, but we'll figure it out. There's gotta be a way to see if it's really Giles."

"I might be able to tell just by looking in his eyes. It worked the one time when he was turned into a demon. I knew it was him."

"Best not to get it suspicious," Spike cut in. "Don't know what it could try if it knows we're on to it."

Faith spotted the ashtray, already overflowing with cigarette butts and she put hers out and stood in front of Buffy with her back to Spike. "What do you think we outta do, B?"

"They should know," she replied quietly as she pointed to the ceiling. "They need to know. Even if we're wrong..."

"Better to be wrong than dead," Faith finished for her when Buffy couldn't find the words herself. "Can I stake him if it's not true, if Giles is really himself and Spikey boy is just playing his own sick game with us?"

"Yes."

"Hey!" Spike growled. "That's not fair!"

"I didn't want to have to relive my senior year in high school," Buffy countered. "And nobody ever said life-even an undead life is fair. If you're wrong about this, Spike, you're going to have to suffer for lying to us."

"You're crazy," Spike said, making sure he kept his voice down. "I know what Giles means to you, Buffy. Why would I lie to you about something like this?"

"Uh, because you lack a soul and a chip in your brain? Oh, and not to mention you're still pretty evil?"

"Doesn't mean I forget what it was like. I can still feel that soul burning in me down in the Hellmouth. It's something one can't quite forget."

Faith rolled her eyes, waiting for Buffy to make up her mind about what they were going to do. Even she was torn as to what to do, but they did have to find out if Giles was still Giles before they made up their mind of what they would do next. The one thing Spike was wrong about was killing the First. Willow said it was possible, just barely on the borderline of impossible, but it could be done yet not without a price. There always had to be a price to pay, and just what that was, they weren't too sure yet and if Giles was truly out of the picture, his body taken over by the First, it'd be _that_ much harder for them to figure out the things they needed to know.

Between the three of them, they came up with a plan to find out for sure just what was up with Giles without making him-or it-suspicious that they suspected a change. Faith remembered the lifeless look in Percy's eyes when the First had worn his body as its own and she remembered the way Percy had moved, rigid like a reanimated corpse. They agreed that once they knew for sure what was going on with Giles then they'd tell the others before anything happened to any of them.

It wasn't the greatest plan, but it was something to start with. The only thing that had Faith worried was how Buffy would react if Giles really was dead. It'd devastate her, it'd devastate all of them, but Buffy would take it the hardest. Giles had been more of a father to her in all the years she'd known him than her own father ever had been.

And if Spike was wrong, if he was truly wrong and playing a game of his own against them, Faith knew she wouldn't think twice about staking him.

Faith was the first one upstairs and she walked into the dining room and casually sat down in a chair across the table from Giles. She grabbed one of the books out of the pile on the table and idly began flipping through the pages, her eyes not on the words but on Giles as he sipped his tea and read from the book he had open in front of him. She could feel Buffy watching from the kitchen and she could hear Joyce offering Spike some tea and the complaint he had over it not being "real English" tea, but that he'd drink it if he could put a cup of milk in it. The gagging she could hear coming from Joyce was almost too funny and she tried not to laugh as she kept her focus on Giles.

"What are we looking for, G?" Faith asked as she stared at him. "Stuff on the scythe, right?" A nod was all she got. He didn't even look at her, too engrossed in whatever was written on the pages in front of him. "Just what are we looking for?" Faith tried again, and she saw him tense before he tore his eyes off the book.

"Anything you can find. If it is relevant, you can put it in that pile by Willow."

Lifeless eyes. _How'd I miss that before_, she wondered and she closed the book and got up from her chair. She motioned to Willow to follow her, hoping she wouldn't ask her why. With a nod, Willow grabbed her empty teacup, waving it as Giles looked at her and followed Faith into the kitchen. Faith just gave Buffy a look, causing Buffy to groan quietly as Willow looked around the kitchen at all of them, wondering just what the hell was going on.

"Meeting?" Willow whispered as she stood by Buffy. "Without Giles?"

"Yeah," Buffy said softly. "We'll tell you first and then you can tell Xander and Tara while I tell Dawn."

"Tell us what? What's going on, Buffy?" Willow asked and Buffy placed a finger over her lips and shook her head no. "In our heads instead? Do you two know?" Willow asked Joyce and Anya and they shook their heads yes. "Okay, tell me what is going on right now or I'm gonna start jumping to conclusions here."

Faith watched, wishing she could hear the conversation floating between Willow and Buffy. Willow's expressions were enough to go by and Faith knew a part of her didn't believe Buffy at first. Faith helped herself to a bottle of water from the fridge, unable to take her eyes off of Buffy.

"Caught her up to speed yet?" Spike asked as he kept his eye on Giles in the dining room. "The sooner they are all informed, the easier it'll be to take it out."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Faith snapped at him. "You're such an idiot, Spike."

"You wouldn't even _know_ there's something wrong with your blood Watcher if it wasn't for this idiot," Spike snapped back.

"You're an idiot and an asshole. I'd kick your ass and stake you right now if you weren't helping us out."

"And you're nothing but a bloody bitch thinkin' she's better than everyone else because she got the Slayer to fall in love with her."

"You're just jealous Buffy loves me in ways she could _never_ love you."

"Guys?" Buffy said as calmly as she could. "If you want to have a pissing contest at who is the bigger idiot here, take it outside. We got bigger things to deal with than your jealousy problems here, Spike."

"Bugger this," Spike muttered as he walked to the back door. "You Slayers figure things out for yourself."

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked him as she moved quickly to try to stop him from leaving. "You can't just _leave_, Spike."

"Can't stay here either, luv. Not risking my life with this one around. Her temper is on a short leash and it's bound to break eventually. Rather not be around when that happens."

"You need to stay here," Buffy all but pleaded with him. "Spike. Stay."

"Yeah, stay like the little dog you are," Faith chuckled and she felt the icy cold glare Buffy sent her before Buffy even looked at her. "Sorry."

"Willow, tell Xander and Tara what is going on. Where are Dawn and Diana?"

"Upstairs with Tara," Willow replied. "She's still feeling weak from that spell," she said sadly. "I'll go up and tell them. You tell Xander."

Buffy sighed and stepped away from the door, forgetting about Spike until he managed to slip out. Faith smirked as she took a sip of her water, knowing Buffy wasn't stupid enough to go after him, especially not right now when they had to deal with a brand new problem that involved Giles.

"Faith?" Buffy asked, her voice sounding a little cold and distant. "I need to you make sure he doesn't leave the dining room. Remember, he can't suspect there's something going on," she said barely above a whisper. "Tell Xander he's needed downstairs."

"If he asks why?"

"Leaky pipe that needs to be fixed?" Buffy said, not looking to sure about using that excuse. "As soon as I tell him, I'm going after Spike and you're staying behind with the others."

"You aren't going out there, B," Faith said as she grabbed onto her arm and pulled her into the small sitting room just off the kitchen. "Let Spike go. He can take care of himself. You and I both know that. We don't need him here, Buffy. He's a good fighter, yeah, I'll give him that, but the longer I'm around him, the more I want to-"

"Stake him? You're not going to stake him unless he proves to be a threat to us. And if he is a threat to us, you won't be the one doing it. I will be."

Faith bit her tongue, not wanting to get into a fight with Buffy over Spike. That could be saved for another time and place. She wondered who would be the one to take Angel's life now that Giles wasn't himself anymore. She couldn't let Buffy do it, but she knew when it came down to it, Buffy wouldn't let _her_ take his life. Faith walked into the dining room and told Xander he was needed in the basement, using Buffy's leaky pipe excuse. He didn't question it or hesitate, heading right downstairs and leaving Faith alone at the table with Giles still reading from the same book.

She wondered when they'd get ahead of everything before another problem, another obstacle got in their way. She wondered when they'd get their lives back to normal or at least as close to normal as they could get.

And right now that wasn't looking too likely to happen anytime soon.

* * *

Everyone seemed to be walking in a daze once the word was out about Giles. Faith kept looking back into the kitchen, hoping Buffy wasn't going to be stupid enough to go after Spike. That wasn't the point of the spell, the point of the spell was to stay together and stay in the house, something Giles didn't let stop him and ended up with him dead and the First wearing his body.

Faith quickly got up from the table when she heard Buffy come up from the basement. Buffy just shook her head and wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks. Faith knew she was trying to stay strong, but knowing what happened to Giles, knowing that wasn't even Giles sitting there at the dining room table, it wrecked her just as much as it was wrecking Buffy. She didn't move from where she stood, letting Buffy go to who she needed more. She needed to be held and Faith figured she'd go to her mother. There'd been more than a few conversations where Buffy wanted nothing more than to have her mother hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

Buffy walked right to her and threw her arms around her, burying her face in the side of her neck. Faith could feel the tears before she felt them and she wrapped her arms around Buffy and held her. She looked over at Joyce, trying not to let that look of hurt on Joyce's face get to her. Joyce still didn't understand their relationship and it was clear she hadn't realized just how close she and Buffy had become. Faith didn't even realize that Buffy put her above everyone else; including her own mother she'd wished was alive for the last couple of years.

"Where's Xander?" Anya asked quietly. "Is he still downstairs?"

"Yes. Go upstairs and get the others," Buffy said, not moving away from Faith. "Now, Anya."

"It'll be okay, B," Faith whispered, not sure what else she should say to her. It wasn't going to be okay, she knew that, Buffy knew that and the others knew it too. "We'll get him out."

"We have to kill him," Buffy said as she looked up at Faith, tears filling her eyes but not falling just yet. "I can't have that..._thing_ in my house. It's not safe."

"Buffy?" Joyce said as she cleared her throat. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know yet," Buffy said and she took a few deep breaths before she stepped out of Faith's embrace. "But he can't know that we know. We need to act like everything is normal until we come up with a plan that'll work."

As soon as Anya and the others had come downstairs, Giles came into the kitchen with his empty teacup and helped himself to more, barely casting a glance at any of them. If he suspected anything was going on, he sure didn't show it. Faith felt her whole body tense and she balled her hands into tight fists, trying to hold herself back from attacking him. This wasn't just the First, this was the First wearing Giles' body and if they killed it, they weren't killing the First, they would just be killing the body he was borrowing for the time being.

It wouldn't be long before it found another body to harbour either and Faith knew she wasn't the only one thinking that. If the First got to Giles-mostly because he'd made the stupidest mistake of leaving, it could get to any one of them after. Even Spike.

"Have you-have you found anything?" Willow asked Giles as he slowly added some milk to his cup of tea. "On the scythe?" She finished and it felt like everyone in the room was holding their breath, waiting for him to answer her.

"Nothing as of yet," he replied. "I'm afraid these books are useless. Perhaps we should call it a night, start fresh in the morning."

"Sounds like a good idea," Faith said quickly. "Everyone needs to get some sleep. No use running on empty here, huh?"

"Indeed," Giles nodded. "Joyce, would you still like for me to take the couch?"

Joyce looked nervous, but she nodded her head, explaining that she'd already gotten extra clean sheets and a pillow for him. Giles looked around the room at each and every one of them before he let out a sigh and headed for the living room. If any of the others were looking for a sign that this wasn't Giles, they weren't seeing it, but rather they were feeling it. As soon as he had walked into the kitchen, a chill had filled the warm air.

"Basement," Buffy whispered to the others and she took the lead, heading downstairs quickly while Faith stayed behind, making sure she was the last one down.

"Are you two absolutely sure that this-?" Diana asked but couldn't finish when Faith shushed her.

As soon as they were all safely in the basement, Willow murmured a few words, surrounding them in a bubble of silence. Faith noticed how scared the others looked, how distraught Buffy was. She could feel every emotion rolling off of Buffy even though she kept her distance. It was strong, too strong, and it really began to hit home when Buffy started crying, unable to hold her tears back for much longer.

"Wicked trick, Red," Faith said, breaking the heavy silence that surrounded them. "He won't be able to hear us, right?"

"No, he won't even be able to come down here until I've broken it," she replied, her voice wavering as she too started to cry. "What are we going to do? We can't let it walk around in Giles' body like this."

"No, we can't," Buffy said through the tears and she angrily wiped them away. "And we can't let this pull us apart. Not now. Not like this. Will," she paused to take a deep, shaky breath, "did you find anything on the scythe?"

"I did, but I didn't tell him that. I kind of got this feeling when he came back that something wasn't right."

"Where's Spike?" Anya asked. "Shouldn't he be down here too with all of us? Did he go evil on us?"

"No," Buffy snapped. "He just left. He'll come back. We don't need him for this. We can deal with this ourselves."

"And by deal, you mean what?" Xander asked. "We kill him?"

"It's not Giles," Buffy said as calmly as she could. "It's just his body. He's already dead. We need to get that thing out of the house. Will, is there a way you can pull the First out of his body?"

"I-I don't know," Willow replied. "That's heavier, darker magic than I've ever been close to touching. It's not-it's not safe."

"I'll do it," Dawn said firmly, stepping into the middle of the partial circle they had all formed. "Tell me what I need to do and I'll do it."

"Dawnie, I can't let you do that. The magic the First is using, it's not from here. It's too dark. It'll destroy you if you try to tap into it."

"Willow, Buffy is right. We need to get that thing out of the house," Dawn replied. "I'll do it. Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it if you won't."

"You aren't strong enough," Willow replied. "None of us are. This is magic deeper and darker than anything that's ever been on this plane."

"How do we get rid of it then?" Dawn snapped, her anger taking over grief in an instant.

"The coven," Diana said from where she stood by Joyce and Anya. "We'll need them here much sooner than we thought. I'm afraid though, it's not possible to get them here before the week's end. I do know of a text, an ancient text as old as the First Evil itself. It's the same one that Percy Chapman had used to allow the First to take corporeal form."

"And how do we get it?" Buffy asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Diana snapped her fingers, a thick, heavy book thudding to the floor after it materialized out of thin air. Faith raised her eyebrows, wondering when the hell her Watcher could do magic.

"Why didn't you do this before?" Buffy asked as Willow picked up the book and opened it, quickly scanning the pages of the ancient text.

"I did not trust any of you before to bring this forth," Diana replied. "I knew the First would come after one of us, take over one of us and try to weave its way into our lives. But it's necessary now."

"Di, since when can you do magic?" Faith asked as she watched Dawn and Tara join Willow on the floor with the ancient text.

"I have always been able to do magic, all Watcher's have been trained and keep a certain level of magic reserves on hold."

"Can you do anything else?" Faith asked her and Diana shook her head no. "This book good for anything else other than making the First be what it is now?"

"It has the origins of the spell used on the scythe," she replied. "A spell we will worry about once we've deal with the First."

"Again, why didn't you do this before?" Buffy asked as she glared at Diana. "I need some real answers here 'cause I'm starting to wonder what the hell side you're on right now."

"Now is not the time to-"

"Now is the time!" Buffy yelled at her and she moved to grab her, but Faith stopped her, holding her tight, knowing she'd attack Diana the moment she let her go.

"Before you all came back here, there was never any need for this and there was never any need to be suspicious of any of you. You brought back the things that I feared would happen, things I never thought possible. Contrary to what Angelus told you, the scythe is far more powerful than it had been before. The First is far more powerful than it's ever been before as well and I have reason to believe that its power is connected to the scythe. There is still far too much we don't know, that we'll never know, but now is not the time to discuss this. We will need a stronger spell, one that guards our very souls and in that text, there is a spell that can protect all of us, perhaps even the entire world."

"But we can't tap into that magic," Willow finished for Diana and sighed heavily. "It's too dark."

"Not if there are two dozen powerful Wiccans to take a piece of the darkness instead of all of it at once," Diana replied. "But we must get the First away from us as far as we possibly can. We have a week, little less than a week, before the members of the coven can arrive here. If we can push the First as far away as possible, Angelus can't come near us and it'll give us time to do the spell we need to do on the scythe."

"What spell?" Dawn asked. "The same spell Willow used to turn all the potentials into slayers?"

"Slightly different. Instead of calling forth thousands, it'll only call possibly just a handful, just enough to fight this without completely disrupting the slayer line."

"You sure know a lot about this," Buffy said and she struggled to get out of Faith's tight hold. "How can you be so sure about this, Diana?"

"Because it's written right here," Willow said as she pointed to the page she, Tara, and Dawn were reading from. "The only thing is we need those potentials here when we cast the spell or it won't work."

Faith pulled Buffy away from the others and forced her to sit down on the old mattress on the floor. Her head was spinning and if she thought things were too much before, they were definitely skyrocketing into the "send me to the asylum" territory.

"I want this to be over," Buffy whispered weakly as she leaned against the wall and laid her head on Faith's shoulder. "Why can't this just be over?"

"It just isn't, not yet, B. Stay strong, okay?" Faith said as she leaned down and kissed Buffy's forehead, letting her lips linger for a few seconds. "Everything'll work out in the end."

"And if it doesn't?"

"It will."

Faith wasn't sure, but she had to keep a hold onto the hope that everything would be okay in the end. She had to stay strong since Buffy was becoming weak. She needed Buffy to be strong with her. She couldn't be strong for all of them, she'd never been close to having the kind of strength that Buffy had when it came to staying strong not just for herself but for everyone she cared for most in her life.

And they couldn't fight this alone. They all knew this since the moment they came back here. And Buffy was weaker now even if she wouldn't admit it and Faith had no idea why and she had no idea why Buffy hadn't told anyone else yet either. But Faith had to know why even if Buffy didn't. She needed to know why she felt stronger and Buffy was weaker.

Something just didn't add up.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"How many potentials do we need to find?" Dawn asked Willow quietly. "Do you want to...find Kennedy?"

"Yes," Willow nodded as she stared across the basement at where Tara stood quietly discussing the spell on the scythe with Diana. "She's a good slayer, Dawnie. We all need her."

"Do you...need her too? I mean, Tara's here, alive and everything. Are you two gonna...you know?"

"I don't know," Willow sighed. "It feels...different this time."

"Different?"

"Like she isn't the One."

Dawn's eyes went wide, not sure how to take that piece of information since for all she knew, the only one Willow had ever loved so deeply and had been connected to had been Tara. So much had changed, so much was different and still very much the same.

"What happened?" Dawn asked her, still keeping her voice low. "I thought everything about your whole world was Tara?"

"I thought so too. It's not the same as before, Dawn. I don't even know why or what changed."

"Kennedy is why," Dawn said simply. "I know you two weren't doing so great back in Scotland, but even I know she is your world now."

"Yeah, she is," Willow said with a sad smile. "Who would've thought, huh?"

"Do you know how to find her? I mean, here and now?" Dawn asked and Willow shook her head no. "There has to be a way, Willow."

"I know. I just don't remember where she told me she was at this point in her life. And she's...god, she'll only be fifteen now!"

"That's only a two year age gap," Dawn reminded her. "And like you said, she's a good slayer and we need her here. Doesn't she have a Watcher? She told me when she was fifteen she had a Watcher and already had started her training."

"Can we talk about all of this later, Dawnie? We're supposed to be preparing for the spell to take the First's...essence out of Giles."

"Maybe someone should tell them that," she said as she pointed to Buffy and Faith in the far corner of the basement, alone, and kissing. "Oh gross," Dawn groaned as the kissing turned into making out with hands in naughty places. "Get a room you two!"

Faith flipped her off, using as much of her body as she could to shield Buffy from view. Willow just rolled her eyes, happy they'd finally found something together even if them getting a little too close at a time like this while everyone else was around was taking things one step too far. Yet seeing them together really made her miss Kennedy and it hurt, it hurt more that she thought it ever would especially with Tara being right _there_ and everything feeling different.

It wasn't supposed to feel different with Tara. For years since her death, Willow always thought that Tara would always be her one and only, the one that nobody else could ever come close to. Coming back, seeing her alive again, it brought up old feelings, old thoughts, but all of that she found was quickly disappearing when she realized things would never be the way they'd been before between them. She was supposed to be focused on the spell, but all she could think about was Tara and Kennedy, how much different they were, but how they both made her feel the same way.

"Willow?" Diana said quietly as she motioned for her to join her and Tara. "We're just about ready to do this spell. Have you prepared?"

"Yes."

"And Dawn?"

"As prepared as I'll ever be," Dawn replied as she stood next to Willow and forced a smile. "So, how are we going to do this? We'll need him-it down here with us, right?"

"We'll also need a vessel to send the essence of the First into," Willow reminded her. "Something strong and not human particularly."

"What about Spike?" Faith asked from behind them. "He's strong and not human."

"That would also make the First able to take over him, so that is a big no," Willow replied and she sighed heavily as she stared at the book open on the card table in front of her. "We'll need something like a box or a jar. Something with a lid on it."

"You really think you can trap the First's essence in a fuckin' pickle jar, Willow?" Faith asked, shaking her head and laughing as if it were the funniest thing she'd heard in days. "You said before it's possible to destroy it, right?"

"It is possible, but we can't as long as it's tethered to Angel. As soon as we break that connection between them, we can kill both," Willow reminded her and she felt like a broken record, having said it and explained it to all of them far too many times to count. "But until that happens, we need to find a way to contain the First."

"The box of-of Gavrok," Tara said shakily. "It would...work."

"Plus I'm sure the First would be plenty happy sharing space with about fifty million of those demonic spiders," Xander chipped in. "I'd say it was a match made in heaven. How do we get this box?"

"The Mayor never, you know, did what he did before," Willow said and she furrowed her brow, trying to think of a way to get their hands on that box. "I could try to summon it here?"

"It's far too dangerous," Diana said calmly. "As much of a good idea this may be, that box is not safe to be in our hands. Any other suggestions? The sooner we deal with this, the better. We have no idea what it has planned."

"Obviously has something big planned if it killed Giles for his body!" Dawn exclaimed. "Maybe we should be trying to find out why it wanted Giles."

"You mean aside from the fact that it thought we were stupid and could slip in here with the rest of us?" Faith asked and she rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys. We gotta stay more than just a step ahead of the First and Angel here. What the hell is the point of it being here?"

"The spell," Willow whispered. "It wants to break the spell we cast to keep Angel out."

"Can it do that?" Buffy asked and Willow looked over at her as she stood closely next to Faith. "Can the spell be broken, Will?"

"No, but it probably thinks it can. The spell is too strong, too tightly woven to be broken by someone outside of the circle it was cast in. It might be in Giles' body, but Giles didn't cast the spell, _we_ did," Willow said as she looked at Dawn and Tara.

The basement fell silent as the others tried to figure out something to contain the essence of the First Evil. Willow knew whatever they did they'd have to do it before it was too late. She knew they wouldn't be able to all hide out in the basement all night or for the next week until the coven came by to help sever the ties between Angel and the First. Being holed up in the house was one thing, being in the basement would surely drive them insane.

_Boy, do I ever miss Scotland_, Willow thought as she began pacing the floor, wracking her brain for anything that'd hold the First's essence hostage and act as its vessel long enough for them to get it out of the house.

* * *

Buffy didn't know when any of them had fallen asleep, but she was cramped on the old mattress next to Faith with Dawn and Willow on the other end. The others had found places to sleep on the hard floor, Joyce having found extra blankets for them to use. All night they'd tried to find a vessel strong enough to hold the First's essence and no matter what they thought of, they knew it wouldn't be enough.

"Still hiding from Big Bad, are you?" Spike asked from where he stood by the stairs. Buffy eased herself out of Faith's arms and joined him there, it being still far too early for anyone to be awake. "Checked on him when I came in. Fast asleep on the couch and hardly a threat."

"Where've you been all night, Spike?"

"Out."

"Be more specific."

"Since you and Faith decided to play cowards, someone has to patrol and put down the nasties. And no," he said as he held up a hand before Buffy could speak, "I didn't run into Angel at all so you don't have to worry about that. What'd I miss?"

"We were trying to find a vessel strong enough to hold the First's essence. We're not safe being in the same house as Giles-"

"That thing upstairs is _not_ your Watcher, luv."

"I _know_ that," Buffy snapped, trying to keep her voice low. "We all know that. Spike can you at least try not to be a huge pain in the ass and _help_ us?"

"Sure, I'll help," he shrugged and from the sneer on his face, Buffy knew he was hiding something from her. She grabbed the front of his leather jacket and shoved him down hard on the stairs. "Don't get too rough now, pet, you'll wake the others."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"What makes you think I'm not telling you anything?"

"I know you, Spike. I know you too well sometimes and I'd rather not," she said through clenched teeth. "Tell me what you aren't telling me and don't you even _dare_ think about blackmailing me or asking me for money 'cause we've been down that road before and I'm not making the same mistakes again."

Buffy let him go and let him get up from the stairs and she quickly looked around the dark basement, relieved nobody had woken up yet. Except for Faith who was now standing right next to her and Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned to look at her, not expecting her to be right there.

"Are we playing kick the Spike 'cause I so want a turn at that," she grinned and she turned to look at Spike, a scowl forming on her face. Buffy nudged her and shook her head no. "Oh come on. He's playin' us, B. Are you really gonna let him pull this shit on you again?"

"No," Buffy said, shaking her head as she stared at Spike. "Two against one, Spike, and guess what? Both of us want nothing more than to see a stake through your heart."

"Better start talking. Tell Buffy what you ain't been telling her and enough of your bullshit," Faith warned him and Buffy tried to fight back her smile.

"Fine," Spike groaned and he straightened out his jacket. "Lovely little thing, about this tall," he said as he held his hand up to about his shoulder. "Long raven black hair, gorgeous blue eyes the colour of the sky. Said she was a Neqa'el, former at least."

"Danu," Buffy whispered and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Willow stir from her sleep at the mention of Danu's name. "Where did you see her?"

"Wandering the streets by Restfield looking half-dead. Thought she was a vamp, but I could smell the human blood in her. She tried to attack me, but after some convincing, I told her I could find her a nice warm bed for the night."

"Where did you take her?"

"Didn't take her anywhere," Spike replied. "She followed me back here. Left her upstairs."

"You left her upstairs?" Buffy asked, rolling her eyes as she pushed past him and ran up the stairs. "Faith, wake the others," she called out down the stairs and she unlocked the basement door, wondering when a lock had been put on it and came face to face with Danu.

"Hi," she said quietly as she shivered, her hands running up and down her bare arms. She wore a tattered white dress and no shoes, her hair a mess and dirt covering almost every inch of her pale skin.

"Danu? I thought you-aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Funny story," she said with a half smile and Buffy kept her distance, not sure if she could trust Danu at all just yet, not sure why she was even here when she should've been dead. "I did die, Buffy, but it seems that the Powers that Be have far more power than I ever believed them to have. They told me it wasn't time, that I wasn't supposed to have been the one and that I made a mistake in making Faith's wish come true. Is it really true I altered the entire fate of the world granting that wish?"

"But why are you _here_?"

"To fix it. That might be a little next to impossible seeing how the Powers sent me back as a mortal."

"The Powers never seem to make much sense," Buffy replied and Danu flashed a small smile as Buffy took a few steps closer to her. "And how are you supposed to fix it, Danu?"

"I-I don't know," she said with a heavy sigh. "I honestly don't know how to fix this. When Faith told me of her wish, I never thought it'd alter Fate, which is why I granted it. It was never supposed to alter Fate nor was it supposed to allow the First Evil to be pulled out of exile in Hades."

"Maybe you should wait and tell Willow and Faith this, they need to hear this as much as I do and I am so not a fan of repeating conversations when there's a lot of details and my brain is already fuzzy enough as it is being back here."

Danu laughed softly but didn't move from where she stood by the back door. "I am sorry I've brought all of this to your attention so soon and all at once. I've been wandering the streets of this town for the last three days looking for you, Buffy. If it wasn't for your pet vampire, I fear I wouldn't have found you for quite some time and I fear it may have been too late."

"Spike is _not_ my pet vampire," Buffy muttered as she motioned for Danu to come down to the basement. "What kind of stories did he fill your head with?"

"He told me nothing," Danu insisted. "It was Willow who told me a lot about all your lives back in Sunnydale while we were in Scotland together."

"And just how much did she tell you?"

"She never told me with her words," Danu whispered, stopping Buffy before she could step down the first basement stair. "She showed me with images, memories. It was quite...thrilling. Fascinating really."

"Our lives have been far from thrilling, Danu."

"Not through the eyes of another," she replied quietly. "You are all still very young and yet you've been through so much it's as if you've each lived a thousand lives of your own."

Buffy shook her head and led the way down to the basement, relieved to see that everyone was awake, albeit cranky and complaining about lack of proper beds to sleep in. Willow was the first one who noticed Danu walking down the stairs behind her and she ran right to her, hugging her, which took everyone in the room by surprise.

"I have something for you, Willow," Danu said and she pulled the necklace off from around her neck. "It should be a strong enough vessel."

"How did you-?"

"I know far too much," she replied calmly and put the small white gold chain necklace in Willow's hand and closed her fingers around it. "Use it. It may not seem like much, but it's a gift from the Powers that Be. They want to rid the First from this world completely and they know you have the power to do just that. You just need help. Help will come, but you need to harbour a little more patience than what you're capable of. You and I will talk. Privately."

"Trippy," Faith said as she joined Buffy at the bottom of the stairs, both watching as Willow and Danu went to the opposite end of the basement to talk. "She looks different without her wings."

"She's human."

"No shit?"

"That's what she told me upstairs," Buffy replied with a shrug. "I think once we deal with the First, we can ask her some questions and get those answers I know we all need right now."

"You think there's gonna be a big fight this time around, B?"

"Do you want there to be?"

Faith shrugged and followed Buffy's gaze as she looked around the basement at the others. "Fighting is what we do, ain't it?"

"That's not an answer."

"Fine," Faith groaned and she took Buffy's hand in hers, a simple casual gesture that made Buffy's heart flutter. "No, I don't want a fight. The only fight I wanna have is what side of the bed I'm sleeping on or whose turn it is to clean the bathroom."

"Are you getting all domesticated on me, Faith?" Buffy asked, laughing as Faith looked at her in mock horror. "You really have changed. The Faith I thought I knew would never give up her life as a slayer for domestic bliss."

"The Faith you thought you knew, the one from before? That Faith never thought it was possible to have something with you that went further than a one-night stand. This Faith?" She said as she pointed to her chest. "Wants it all. Think we'll ever have it?"

"Domestic bliss?"

"Sure."

"If we can deal with the First and Angel without you know, dying, I'm sure we'll get a chance to live out your ideas of domestic bliss," Buffy replied, smiling as Faith leaned in for a chaste kiss. "But," she said as she pushed Faith away from her before she could kiss her again, "I think our ideas of that kind of life are a little bit different and right now, I don't think it's the right time to be talking about this."

Buffy could swear she almost saw the wheels turning in Faith's head and she saw the tension coursing through Faith's body as she tried not to continue their conversation. Faith really had changed and to anyone else, it wouldn't have seemed like much, but to her it was everything. Faith was honestly turning into absolutely everything she'd ever wanted in the one she loved.

She looked over at Willow and Danu, still very much in deep conversation and she looked over at Tara who looked as out of place as Buffy knew she felt as soon as she stepped foot in the house. Everything was different now and she knew that something had changed. Willow no longer looked at Tara the way she once did. She did overhear Willow and Dawn's conversation earlier, just bits and pieces of it, and she knew that Willow had said Tara no longer felt like the One. How did she know that after spending barely a day with her? How did anyone know who the One was or wasn't?

And looking at Willow now as she talked to Danu, despite the seriousness of their conversation, Buffy saw something in Willow's eyes she had never seen before, not with Tara or even Kennedy. Was Willow in love with the former Neqa'el? Buffy found herself laughing quietly at that inner revelation, knowing if it ever passed her lips, everyone but Willow would find it completely hilarious. Xander was the one who went for demons; Buffy was the one who went for vampires and a certain dark-haired slayer. Willow went for werewolves and witches and a slayer, which when she thought about it, they all had a serious problem about being with strictly human types.

"Whatcha thinking about, B?"

"Crazy relationship stuff that I shouldn't be thinking about right now."

"Us?"

"All of us," she replied quietly. "Don't worry about it. I'll tell you some other time. I should warn you that the Buffy thought train never makes complete sense."

Faith laughed and they walked over to join Willow and Danu when Willow motioned for everyone to gather around in a circle. She explained how the necklace would work and that to an outsiders perspective; it was nothing more than a simple necklace. It was far more than that obviously and it held enough power in the fragile looking chain to act as a vessel to contain the First. It was also destroyable and as long as the First was contained inside, it would be destroyed along with it.

_This seems too easy_, Buffy thought as Willow explained to Dawn and Tara about the spell they'd be using. _If it wasn't in Giles' body, I'd kick the crap out of it before I killed it, make it feel the pain it's made hundreds of thousands of others feel_.

Her heart sunk as she thought of Giles, it having sunk in but not completely yet. She had to keep herself strong, but she knew that wall would break and when it did, nothing would be able to stop the flood of tears she knew were coming, nor could anything stop the pain she'd feel in her heart from losing Giles. She wouldn't be the only one, she wasn't selfish enough to think she would be, but she knew she'd be the one who took it the hardest and she already was, even as strong as she was forcing herself to be.

"So, do we just go up there and...do it? The spell, I mean," Dawn asked once Willow had laid out the plan and each of their roles, which was crucial in itself. "Do we actually have to be in the same room as Giles-I mean...you know what I mean."

"We need to be right there and we need to do it quickly before it grows suspicious and tries something," Willow reminded her calmly. "Tara, are you sure you're okay with doing this?"

"You need me," she said just barely above a whisper. "I-I can't explain why I feel like I-I belong here, but I do."

"You do belong here," Dawn said with a smile as she gave Tara a hug that left Tara looking more than a little uncomfortable. "You do. You belong here with us. Right, Willow?"

"Dawn, just don't," Buffy said and she shook her head no. "Let's just get this done and over with, okay guys?"

"One question," Tara said nervously. "How are we supposed to trap the essence in-?"

"Exactly what I was just thinkin'," Faith said as they all looked at the necklace in Willow's hand.

"It does not matter what size or type that it is," Danu said, sounding calmer than anyone else down there in the basement, including those who were choosing to stay quiet. "It's strength and this is not from your world. It's from theirs."

"Buffy, are you sure this is safe?" Joyce asked as Willow, Dawn, and Tara headed upstairs with Danu following close behind them. "I know it's just another spell, but from what I heard, this is a pretty big spell. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," Buffy said as she lead her over to the mattress and sat her down. "Everything will go as planned. And if it doesn't? Well, I'm sure we'll figure something else out. Besides, Willow is a very powerful witch and with Dawn and Tara up there with here, I'm sure they won't have a problem doing what needs to be done."

"Famous last words," Spike muttered as he sat down on the second last step.

"Shut up, Spike," Buffy said and she rolled her eyes as he lit a cigarette, watching as Faith went to join him.

"You and I are going to have a serious talk soon, Buffy," Joyce said as she looked over at Faith and Spike. "I know there's a lot you won't want to tell me because I am your mother, but there are a few things I want to know now, before we sit down when things calm down and have that serious talk."

"Things? Like what?"

"Is this a...phase?"

"A phase?" Buffy blinked and laughed. "God no, it better not be just a phase or I am going to be sorely disappointed in phase-y me. Why would you think this is just a phase?"

"You really love her, don't you?"

"How can I not?" Buffy asked, a question geared more to herself than to her mother. "Despite our past, despite everything, being with her feels right."

"She's...different and not to mention beautiful," Joyce mused and Buffy found herself smiling, really feeling her mother's acceptance now than she had the other morning. "If you're happy, Buffy, that's all I want for you. You live a hard life and to be with someone who knows what it's like and can share it with you, as you said yesterday, it's rare. Don't go thinking I'm changing the rules that I laid out here either, because I'm not. I just wanted to make sure that this isn't a phase for you. I don't want to see either of you end up getting hurt."

"We won't."

"You're still young and you have your whole lives ahead of you."

"Mom, it's not like we're getting married or anything here, we've only been together for six weeks, if that."

"But you've known each other much longer than that," Joyce replied. "I know you don't _feel_ seventeen, but you are, and I want you two to take things slow. You'll be thankful later on that you did when you're still together a few years from now."

"Thanks."

"Uh, guys?" Willow called out from the top of the stairs before she came running down, nearly tripping over Faith and Spike before they could move out of her way. "It's done, but there's a little problem."

"Problem?" Diana asked. "Did the spell not work the way it should've?"

"No, no, it worked it's just um...dead body. Dead Giles' body."

* * *

Faith sat on the front step, watching the coroner close the back doors to the ambulance. She took a drag of her cigarette and inhaled deeply, wondering how she'd managed to stay stronger than any of them inside. Nobody had known what to do and after they had an intense argument about what the right thing to do was, Diana was the one who ended up calling in a favour she owed to the coroner.

Buffy was a wreck, she'd gone up to her room as soon as Diana had made the call. Xander and Willow had stayed in the kitchen with Anya and Tara, unable to be in the living room where the body was on the floor. Dawn had explained why everyone's reactions were the way they were and for Buffy, it wasn't just because Giles was dead, it was because it was in the living room and the position of his body was in the exact same spot her mother had been when the paramedics told her she was dead.

"Everything is so fucked up," Faith said under her breath.

"It will get better," Danu said as she walked out the front door wearing some of Buffy's clothes she'd borrowed. "I don't know how or when, but it will get better. Fate says so."

"Fate _says_ so?" Faith asked and she rolled her eyes and took another drag of her cigarette. "What would you know about Fate anyway?"

"I altered it."

"Point," Faith nodded. "So, Danu-"

"Dani," she corrected her. "I'm human now so I should have more of a human name, shouldn't I?"

"Guess so. Dani, I got a few questions I need to ask you."

"About the wish?" She asked and Faith nodded. "There's not a lot that I can tell you. I already know it's not what you expected or wanted, but once I granted the wish, the rest was left to the hands of the Powers that Be. I altered Fate by allowing the wish to happen; they just made it more...difficult."

"Understatement of the year there. When does the actual "normal" part of the wish come in or did you forget to add that to the order sheet?"

"That's why the Powers took over and altered the wish. They believe you and Buffy need to earn it, that you need to earn the right to live the normal lives you always wanted. But Faith, you have to understand that even if you do earn it, it won't be what you want it to be. Even if you kill the First Evil, there will always be evil in the world. You can kill the source, but you can't kill everything it's created. It'd destroy everything."

Faith stared at the former Neqa'el, still having a thousand questions lingering in her mind, yet all of them seemed to be answered already. "What about all the others? What about all those girls that were called? What about Kennedy, Vi, and Rona?"

"They don't know what life had been for them, they don't know what it could be. Using the scythe's power to call them had been a mistake, one you all would've eventually paid for in the worst way possible. Do you know why I was given a second chance, a life as a mere human, Faith?"

Faith shrugged, not sure she was ready to hear all that Danu wanted to tell her. But she had to hear it, her curiosity was becoming too much. "Why, Danu?"

"Dani," she corrected her softly. "Because making this wish come true, bringing you back to a time before it happened, it changed the world not just Fate. You can't do the same spell on the scythe as you had before. You cannot call all those potentials forth as slayers."

"Better off telling Willow this than me."

"I already have and she doesn't understand. She wants Kennedy and a few others back, claims she's found an alternate spell to call forth just a dozen slayers instead of thousands. I'm not sure if that'll end up the same way it was meant to before the wish, but I told her she cannot risk it."

"We're all about the risk, _Dani_. You should know that by now. You spent all that time with us, helping us prepare an attack against your own kind. We took risks without thinking twice."

"It doesn't make it any better, Faith."

"Willow isn't the only one who wants Kennedy back," Faith said quietly. "I don't know if you know or care, but she was one of my best friends. Feels like there's a hole inside of me that's been there since we got back here."

"Do you love her?"

"Who? Kennedy?" Faith laughed. "I love her as a friend, Dani. Nothing more. She might've been a brat a lot of the times and as crazy as it is, I really miss that, I really miss her, and I know I'm not the only one that does. She was supposed to be back here with us and now she's...god knows where the hell she is right now."

"New York," Dani replied. "With her Watcher. That's what Willow told me."

"Didn't seem like you and Willow had a whole lot of time to talk since you got here."

"Sometimes you don't need a lot of time to say all that needs to be said," Dani said and she smiled at Faith. "I know you know exactly what I'm talking about."

Faith shrugged and tossed her cigarette butt into the garden, debating whether to have another or go inside to check on Buffy. She was worried about how she was dealing with Giles' death; she was worried about all of them and not so much about herself. Buffy had been okay at first once they'd learned what happened to Giles, but it hadn't sunk in until she'd seen the body on her living room floor. faith's heart had torn up hearing the shattering cries coming from Buffy and it hurt her when Buffy refused to let her touch her, hold her, and she pushed her away before she'd ran up to her room.

"When are they gonna destroy the vessel?" Faith asked. "Soon, right?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Willow believes when we destroy the vessel that it'll sever the ties between the First and Angel. If that happens, there will be no need for the coven to come."

"Can't wait to kill that bastard," Faith muttered under her breath and she got up from the steps and headed for the door. "So, what are you gonna do, Dani? Being a new human has gotta be wicked scary."

"Nothing is scarier than death."

"Actually there is," Faith said and she turned to look back at Dani, wondering why she was even telling her any of this. Yet it felt right to talk to her like she was an old friend, something she'd never felt with someone she barely knew before. "Falling in love with the one woman you never thought would feel the same way is scary as hell. Finding something in her you never thought you'd find, with her of all people, is scary as hell. Hearing that same woman be under the influence of the First after she was stabbed and had mystical poison running through her blood, that made me think things I never should've thought."

"Buffy loves you," Dani said softly. "She's your One, isn't she? You felt it before you even knew how to put it all into words that made sense, didn't you?"

"I felt it before I ever knew her," Faith admitted easily. "And that, Dani, is scarier than death, scarier than coming back as a human instead of what you were before. Love is..."

"Scary. Got it," Dani smiled. "I've never known love, but that's all I ever wanted. I know one day I'll find what I seek. I'll find my One, won't I?"

Faith shrugged. "Don't know, Dani. Anything is possible," she said and she let out a heavy sigh. "I should go check on Buffy, see how she's holding up. Giles meant the world to her; he did for all of us."

Her mind was reeling from her talk with Dani and the rest of the events of the day. She stopped just inside the front door, her eyes staring at the spot on the floor where Giles' body had lain for a good part of the afternoon. Nobody else was in the living room and she didn't blame them for not wanting to be in there. Death left behind a lingering feeling, and it was a heartbreaking feeling. She'd known it twice before with people she cared about, her mother and Diana, but everything was different now and in this version of her life, she'd never been a witness to the death of someone that was like family to her.

Her body was itching for a fight, for the kill she hadn't had in what felt like forever when it'd only been less than a week. She wanted to go out there, find Angel and kill him, something she'd wanted to do since the first time she met him years ago. Sure, he'd been her saviour at one point in her life, but this Angel was different, this one had evil coursing through him, giving him life.

But she had to wait. She knew she had to wait. She couldn't walk into a fight she knew she wouldn't walk away from. And as soon as the vessel was destroyed, the ties between Angel and the First severed, she'd be right there, ready and waiting.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Faith stood in the doorway of Buffy's room, watching Buffy as she cried into her pillow. She'd been standing there for almost ten minutes, debating whether to go in there or leave Buffy alone. She knew Buffy needed someone to comfort her, yet at the same time she had the feeling that Buffy needed to be alone right now too.

"You should go in there," Joyce said softly as she walked up behind Faith. "She needs someone right now with her."

"Sure that ain't gonna break your rules there, Joyce?" Faith asked, only a hint of teasing audible in her tone. "Maybe she just needs to be alone right now?"

"She needs you, Faith," Joyce said as she forced a smile when Faith turned to look back at her. "And it's not breaking any rules if I tell you to go to her. Just keep the door open."

"Sure," Faith nodded, turning to look back at Buffy so Joyce wouldn't see her roll her eyes. "How are the others holding up?"

"They're managing," Joyce replied. "Your mother called again while you were outside. She wants to talk to you, Faith. You need to explain to her what's going on here and I think you need to tell her everything that you told me the other day."

"Wouldn't make a difference."

"It will," Joyce said softly. "You might not think it will, but it will make a difference. She's worried about you."

"That'd be a first. Really not used to my mother worrying about anything else other than how she's gonna get enough money so she can get drunk that day."

"You know as well I do that she is not like that, Faith."

"Goes to show just how much she allows others to see this time around," Faith said under her breath but knew Joyce had heard her. "Look, I can't deal with my family; they haven't been around for so long. I've been on my own since I was too young to be on my own, you know? Besides, Buffy and the others have become my family. They're all I'll ever need."

"That woman is still your mother, Faith. She doesn't deserve to be pushed away like this no matter what she's done before or what she's done now," Joyce said softly and she put a hand on Faith's shoulder and they moved away from Buffy's doorway. "I know you don't remember this, but your mother has been around for coffee, occasionally for dinner or just to chat since you arrived here in Sunnydale. She's not the woman you keep trying to turn her into, Faith. This woman actually cares for you and I cannot speak for your father, but isn't it enough that you have a mother who loves you?"

"It's never been about it being enough, Joyce. I just don't know how to accept it and let her in. I'm afraid of what'll happen when I do."

"Try, Faith. Its heartbreaking hearing her cry over you and then hear you talk about her this way. Coming from a mother's viewpoint, it's hard to lose a daughter's love because she fears to be loved."

Faith knew Joyce only meant well with this whole conversation and she just hugged her, realizing this was the first time she'd laid her hands on her in a passive way. Joyce hugged her tight before letting her go and pushing her towards Buffy's room. Faith smiled back at her before she took a few deep breaths and went into Buffy's room, closing the door a little but remembering to keep it open just a bit.

Faith sat on the edge of Buffy's bed and reached out for her, unable to see her face since she still had it buried in her pillow. She ran her hand up and down Buffy's back gently, feeling her sobs shake her body as she tried to stop. Faith kicked off her boots, laid down next to Buffy, and wrapped her arms around her, hoping Buffy would give up on her tear-stained pillow and use her shoulder instead. Buffy shifted in her arms, lifting her face from her pillow and looked up at Faith.

"Oh god, I look horrible right now, don't I?"

"You look fine, babe," Faith whispered as she wiped away her tears. "You need me to get you anything?"

"No," Buffy said, shaking her head as she laid it down on Faith's chest. "Just stay here with me?"

"Wasn't planning on going anywhere," she replied and she just held Buffy for a moment, feeling the tears soak through her thin shirt. "I..." Faith wasn't sure what to talk about and she stopped, furrowing her brows, wondering if silence was probably better right now for Buffy than to try to talk about what happened.

"I didn't think it'd hurt so much," Buffy sighed as she slipped a hand under Faith's shirt with no other intentions of just feeling her soft skin beneath her fingertips. "I can't believe he's gone. What are we going to do without him, Faith?"

"I dunno," she replied. "But we'll figure it out, right? Always do even without him by our side guiding us in the right direction. And we're not completely without a Watcher. Still got Di and she ain't all that bad once you get to know her. I know she'll never take Giles' place, but we still have all the contacts and stuff through her. We won't have to worry about that kinda stuff."

"He was like a father to me," Buffy whispered and Faith could feel her heart breaking all over again hearing Buffy sound so lost and weak. "He was never just my Watcher, Faith."

"I know, B."

"It just hurts."

"I know."

"So much."

Faith breathed in deeply, closing her eyes as she felt her own tears threaten to fall. Nothing she could say or do would take away the pain Buffy was feeling and all she could do was hold her and let her cry, let her talk about him or whatever else she needed to talk about. She'd let her stay quiet too, let Buffy's thoughts invade her own mind while Faith lay there and tried to figure out just what she was thinking from the way Buffy's body felt nestled against hers.

* * *

Willow looked over the spell for what felt like the hundredth time. It was keeping her mind off Giles, but every time she looked away from the page or closed her eyes, all she saw was his lifeless body on the living room floor once she, Dawn, and Tara had extracted the First's essence from his body.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Dani asked as she sat next to Willow at the dining room table.

"I need her back," Willow whispered.

"I know," Dani smiled sadly. "But is this the way? You're planning to disrupt the slayer line again. Even calling just a dozen instead of hundreds, the line will be tainted."

"It's safer."

"For who?"

"The world," Willow replied and she looked over at Tara who sat at the opposite end of the table listening to Dawn tell her all that had happened in their lives before. "You said so yourself, even when we destroy the First, it won't stop evil from lurking on earth. There's dozens of Hellmouths around the world, Dani, and right now there's only two Slayers."

"But the other Hellmouths aside from here in Sunnydale and the one in Cleveland are dormant. There's no activity around them, most cannot even be found."

"It won't always be that way. Someone or something will find a way to activate the other Hellmouths and what then? Buffy and Faith can't be in two or a dozen places at once."

"I think you misunderstood me when I asked you about the spell on the scythe. I didn't ask if it was right, I asked if it was safe, Willow. I know you are very powerful and in complete control of the power you have inside of you, but this spell has never been used."

"Neither had the other one I used on the scythe before and it turned out okay," she said and she looked over at the scythe sitting on the chair next to her. "I've never felt so much power come from something before and it's a power I crave to tap into once again. And it has to be done. Even with Angel no longer tied to the First, there's no saying that Buffy and Faith can fight him alone. He's a Champion of the First and he's not just human anymore, Dani."

Dani did know everything that was going on, possibly more than she was letting on about the path Fate would lead them on. Willow had been beyond happy to see her too, having thought she was forever lost after surrendering herself to help them close the portal back in the caves in Scotland. Willow hadn't even felt that twinge of longing in her when she saw Tara, no, she'd only felt that when she looked at Danu. Calling her Dani felt natural too, but it still wasn't her name and yet she wasn't going to stop. Danu wanted to fit in, she wanted to be human and the first thing she wanted to do to was to make her name more human than anything else.

Willow felt herself blush at the thought of being with Dani. She'd never thought about it before now, but once she did, boy did those images really make her blood run hot and the goosebumps form over her skin rapidly. She thanked the Goddesses above and the Powers that Be when Diana walked in with news from the Council.

"We've located Kennedy and her Watcher," she said as she sat down at the table, a pad of paper with addresses written on it. "Vi and Rona have yet to be assigned a Watcher, but they're in the Council's files. As for the other girls you've requested, I have all their contact information here. Kennedy seems to be the only one who has a Watcher currently training her. It seems that the Council suspected if Faith died, she'd be the one called on next."

"So, what do we do now, Diana?" Willow asked her. "It's not like we can call all these girls and say what, "we need you to come to Sunnydale, California so we can make you into slayers". They'd think we're all crazy!"

"Kennedy and her Watcher Anthony Winslow will be arriving in Sunnydale within a day or two. The Council will contact them and inform them briefly of the situation here. We will explain it to them ourselves when they arrive. The others may be a bit more difficult to convince, but the Council has their ways of getting the Potentials to where they are needed to be."

"How did you convince them to do this? They are actually going to let us do this?"

"It seems Mr. Giles had already called them before his unfortunate...accident," Diana replied. "Several members of the Council are all for this. They think the world will be much safer with more than two slayers."

"They're probably happy to have more than two "tools" to try to control," Willow muttered. "In my experience, Diana, the Council has never been good for anything. I know I speak for everyone when I say this is the last time we're associating ourselves with the Council. Once we call the new slayers, we're not letting the Council decide what happens next."

"That may not be under your control, Willow. They do like to meddle when they aren't necessarily needed, but they can be very useful at times as well," Diana said and she sighed when she realized she was not convincing Willow of anything in regards to the Council and their purpose. "As soon as the potentials arrive here, we'll begin the spell on the scythe before we destroy the vessel. In the meantime, with all that has happened in the last several days, I think it'd be wise if you got some rest."

Willow nodded, too tired to argue with Diana and she closed the book in front of her, wondering where she and the others would sleep that night. Nobody wanted to be in the living room, the lingering aura of death still heavy in the room. She looked at Tara, watching her as she listened to Dawn explain to her what it was like being the Key. Everything about Tara was the same and so different at the same time and Willow kept reaching inside of her, trying to find the part of her soul that had loved Tara.

She was reaching for something that wasn't there and she knew now that whatever love she had for Tara had died over the years. It hurt to think that way, but it was just the way it was. There'd been so many nights she and Kennedy had fought because the memory of Tara had haunted her and now she wished she knew what she did now. It might've saved her relationship with Kennedy; it might've let her really fall in love with her, truly and deeply. But it was all too late now. Kennedy wouldn't remember anything from before, she wouldn't remember any of them, her time in Sunnydale before or all that had happened when they were in Scotland. She knew when Kennedy came she'd be the same Kennedy, but not. Just like Tara.

Willow forced a smile when Dawn and Tara looked at her, both asking her if she was all right. She wanted to tell them she wasn't, but she had to stay strong. They all needed to stay strong. There'd be time for tears after it was all done and over with.

* * *

Faith slipped out of Buffy's room early the next morning, careful not to wake her just yet. It'd been a long night and she'd hardly slept. She spent most of it watching Buffy, holding her when she woke up and started to cry again. By the fifth time she'd woken up, the tears had dried up and she just held on to Faith, her whole body shaking as she tried to cry. Faith could hardly handle seeing Buffy break apart like this and she'd never seen her like this before either. She didn't think any of them have, not even when her mother had died before.

Willow was the only one awake when she walked downstairs. She was going over the spell Faith noticed when she sat down beside her at the dining room table. Willow didn't say anything, barely even acknowledging Faith's presence as she ran her fingers over the faded text on the page.

Sensing that Willow wasn't in the mood to talk, Faith walked through the kitchen and out the back door, careful to stay within the perimeter of the cloaking spell around the house. The sun was barely up yet and Faith just stood there, watching as the clouds moved slowly across the sky. She was itching for a cigarette, but didn't light one as she revelled in the warmth of the sun as it peeked over the houses. The slayer inside of her had been itching all night to go out and slay and it was still bothering her, making her skin crawl and her muscles twitch.

She'd overheard Willow and Diana's conversation the night before about the potentials, about Kennedy and her Watcher coming to Sunnydale within a few days. Hearing Diana talk about the Council had made her furious, but she kept her emotions in check, straining to hear everything that had been said between the two of them. Hearing that Kennedy would've been the next slayer to be called if she had died made her feel a sense of pride and fear all at once. It didn't surprise her though, even with the spell on the scythe, Kennedy had been one of the stronger slayers, but still no match for her or Buffy. She wondered if it'd be the same this time around, if the few potentials they planned to call into slayers would be just a little bit weaker than her and Buffy.

Faith had a sinking feeling that calling Kennedy, Vi, Rona, and the few others as slayers would be a bad idea. Sure, in the logical sense, it was the right thing to do, but was it really? Things were supposed to be different now and here they were, playing with Fate and making this second chance mirror that of their old life.

Danu seemed to know more than she'd said and Faith had to wonder just why she was holding back, why she wasn't telling them all that she knew. There were still a lot of things Faith needed to know about her wish and why it was far different from what she thought she was wishing for. Sure, she already gotten those answers, but it wasn't enough. It'd never be enough. If she only knew what would come, she never would've made that wish in the first place. Just another mistake in a life-long list of mistakes she'd made, one she couldn't take back or change since it was far too late.

It was going to be a long couple of days and she wanted nothing more than to put an end to the First and Angel. She couldn't wait to see how the world looked once it was over.

* * *

It was nearly a week later before all the potentials had finally arrived in Sunnydale. Faith had spent a lot of her time with Buffy, both of them finding little moments alone together, but it was never long before someone found them. It reminded her of the way it'd been before when dozens of potentials had been living in the Summers' house, preparing for a fight not all of them walked away from in the end. Alone time was scarce and she and Buffy tried to enjoy their moments alone as much as they could.

Willow had done the spell rather successfully on the scythe and as far as they knew, only the potentials at the house had been made into slayers. The power they were feeling made them restless, but with Diana's help, Buffy and Faith helped them find ways to burn off their excess energy, mostly by training them in the basement with Diana and Anthony keeping a close eye on them in case things got out of control.

Kennedy was still very much the same as she'd been before, but she was different, not having the memories of a life before this one, thinking they were all crazy when Dawn tried to tell her what it had been like before with her. Faith hadn't talked to her once, barely even uttered a word to her when they were in the same room. It was still Kennedy but this was not the Kennedy who had been her friend. This Kennedy thought and trained like a Slayer, making no room in her stone-cold heart to let anyone in. Diana called her the perfect tool, exactly what the Council wanted in their slayers and Faith couldn't stomach it, expressing her fears to only Buffy that Kennedy would end up dead if she didn't change who she was.

Kennedy's Watcher, Anthony, was young, barely twenty-five to their seventeen. He wasn't like Diana, Giles, or even Wesley at all, he was much more laid back and it made Faith wonder how he ever got the job as a Watcher. Dawn hung around him as much as she could, joining him and Kennedy down in the basement in the mornings, talking to him while Kennedy trained like the good little slayer she was alone before the others joined them down there. Everyone knew Dawn was crushing on Anthony; it was obvious to anyone who had eyes to see the adoring looks she gave him.

While everyone tried to deal with the new slayers living with them in the already cramped house, they were also trying to prepare for the fight against Angel once the spell had been cast and the vessel broken. Faith was itching for the fight all week long, wondering each morning if that day was finally the day it'd be done. What were they waiting for? They had everything they needed and it felt like they were wasting time now. Willow insisted they wait for the perfect moment, but Faith knew the longer the waited, the more Angel would suspect something was going on and try to find his way around the cloaking spell to get at them.

"Faith?" Buffy said as she walked into her room and closed the door behind her, shutting out the voices of the girls bickering down in the living room. "Did you want to be left alone right now?"

"Nah," Faith replied from where she laid on the bed. "Was hoping you'd get the hint and come up here with me."

"Willow and Diana said we should get ready," she said as she sat next to Faith on the bed. "I think we're doing this tonight."

"About damn fuckin' time. The girls ready for this?"

"As ready as they'll ever be."

"And you?"

Buffy sighed and shrugged. "I don't have a choice. I have to be ready for this. I've had a week to get ready for this."

"You don't have to be the one who kills him, B. Already told you that when it comes down to it, I'll be the one taking him out," she said as she sat up next to Buffy. "You killed him once and it tore you apart. Can't let you go through it again."

"But he's _human_, Faith. You can't take a human life, not now, not when we all have a second chance to do things right here."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Buffy said and she shook her head as she turned to face Faith fully. "There has to be another way to finish this, Faith."

"Seems like this is the only way," she replied. "It has to be done, B. You and I both know it. If things were different, well, they'd be different, but they're not and this is just the way it is."

"Got a little news for you two," Spike said as he stumbled into Buffy's bedroom, beaten and bloody, barely able to stand. "Seems like Angel is a little less than human," he muttered and he grabbed onto the doorframe to keep himself standing.

"Where have you been?" Buffy asked him and she jumped up from the bed and helped Spike over to the chair at her desk. "Spike?"

"Went out last night, needed smokes and blood and its hell living in a house full of teenage girls chattering me to death so I needed some peace and quiet. Thought it'd be a quick trip, in an out. Angel was waiting a few blocks away. Thought he could take me out. I sure showed him."

"How is he less than human?" Faith asked, watching as Buffy grabbed the first aid kit from her desk drawer.

"Vamped out when I punched him back."

"So we can dust him?" Faith asked, grinning now that she realized it might be easier to kill Angel once the time came.

"Can't. He's not just a vampire and a human, he's something else," Spike replied. "A hybrid of sorts. Even without that power he's gettin' from the First, he's still going to be hard to take out. Do you stake him or slit hit throat. That is the question."

"How about both if one doesn't work?" Faith asked and she rolled her eyes when Buffy just scowled at her. "Come on, B, you know as well as I do that even when we sever the ties between Angel and the First that he's still a threat and he's still fuckin' evil. You wouldn't think twice about it if he came back as Angelus before."

"Whatever he is now, it's not Angelus," Buffy replied. "And that's not the point, Faith. Even if he is what Spike says he is, a part of him is still human."

"Still have to kill him one way or another, Buffy. Can't let the First's Champion stay alive," Spike said, trying to reason with Buffy. "It is plain stupidity if you let feelings get in the way of this."

"There are no feelings getting in the way! There's a moral issue with him being _human_, Spike."

"Then let me take him out," he replied and groaned as Buffy tried to clean the nasty gash on his cheek that was still bleeding. "Any human blood in him, it'll be on my hands, not none of yours. And watch it, luv, that bloody well hurts. Just leave it. It'll heal in a bit, just give it some time."

"You're bleeding all over my carpet," Buffy muttered. "And who says we even want you or need you when we face Angel?"

"Not saying you do need me, just saying I'll take him out myself. Save you two and the others from taking what you think is a human life. Angel is far from human right now. He can never _be_ human."

Faith knew there was no reasoning with Buffy and she had to hand it to Spike for even trying. She heard the girls downstairs chattering excitedly about the fight they were about to walk into and for most of the new slayers, this was the first time they'd ever get to fight, if they even had the chance to. Buffy and Faith were to go to Angel alone, the new slayers sticking nearby as their backup in case Angel stayed as strong as he was now or had company with him.

"Guys?" Willow said as she stood in the doorway. "We're ready."

"Now?" Buffy asked, looking a little surprised and she jumped back from Spike and handed him the gauze. "Are the girls ready?"

"Everyone is ready and waiting for you two. Xander is out driving around and he just called. He found Angel."

"Angel didn't...see him, did he?" Buffy asked as she, Faith, and Spike followed Willow to the stairs.

"No, he kept his distance. Angel is at the caves, you know the ones. The Initiative caves only they aren't Initiative caves right now. And..." Willow trailed off and she had a look of worry in her eyes. "He has a little backup of his own."

"How many?"

"Xander said he counted almost a dozen with Angel and has no idea if there's more inside the caves."

"A dozen what, vamps?" Faith asked.

"Demons and vamps," Willow replied and that made Spike burst out laughing. "What is so funny?"

"Demons and vamps rarely work together," he said and they all just stared at him. "Yeah, I know you know that, but if he's got demons and vamps on his side, working together, this isn't good."

"No shit, Spike," Faith said and she groaned in frustration. "So, new plan. The girls don't stay behind. They come in with us. How long will it take you to do that spell, Willow?"

"Not long, but I need to be near Angel to sever the ties between him and the First. Just destroying the vessel and the First isn't going to be enough."

"We're definitely going to need a new plan," Faith said as they headed downstairs to join the others in the living room. "We better come up with something quick, B. The sooner this is all over, the better."

Buffy nodded and gathered everyone around once she had the younger slayers' attention. They came up with a plan, simple and straight to the point. They'd go in the caves, take out any demons and vamps they came across while trying to get Willow, Dawn, and Tara close enough to Angel. They'd have to protect them while they destroyed the vessel by any means possible. There were sixteen slayers in total now, more than enough to clear out the caves to get to Angel. Faith wasn't worried about the fight they were going to walk into. She was more worried about the younger girls, most of them not even trained to fight. The only ones that were trained were Kennedy and Satsu.

The plan was for Buffy, Faith, Spike, Kennedy and Satsu to go in first. It was a plan everyone else agreed on since some of the girls were scared to death they wouldn't make it very far. As soon as they cleared the way, they'd bring in Willow, Dawn, and Tara, find a place for them to set up for the spell and hope to hell they didn't run into any more problems aside from keeping Angel from getting to them.

Everyone loaded up into the three vehicles they had, Joyce's Jeep, Xander's car he'd "borrowed" from his parents and Faith's truck she'd gone to get a few days back. Her skin was crawling as she followed the others on the long drive to the caves, wishing Buffy had come with her instead of attempting to drive the Jeep. Kennedy and Rona were squished in the front seat with her and she had three others sitting in the back of the truck along with all the weapons they were bringing along with them.

"What happens if we get hurt?" Rona asked as Faith made the turn down a dirt road that'd take them as close to the caves as they could get without having to walk a few miles.

"Get out of there as soon as you can if you are hurt," Faith replied. "If you see any of the others go down, help them out, but watch your back. You can plan a fight, but nothing ever goes to plan. You'll figure that out sooner rather than later. Besides, I know you two can fight just as well as Buffy and I can."

"Better hope so," Kennedy replied. "I've been training with Anthony for over a year now, but he always tells me that no matter how long you train for, there are just some things you can never be prepared for."

"He's right," Faith said and she came to a stop behind the other two vehicles. "Just stick to the plan and if it changes, go with the flow and don't get yourselves killed."

"That's the last thing I plan on happening," Rona muttered as they got out of the truck.

"You never plan on getting hurt, it just happens," Kennedy said pointedly and she helped Faith hand out the weapons to the others. "After this is all over, you are going to tell me everything that happened before, aren't you?"

"Didn't you already hear enough?" Faith asked her, wondering what more she needed to know after all that she knew Dawn and Willow had told her. "Maybe it's better not to know everything. You ever think of that, Ken?"

"Maybe," she shrugged. "Maybe not. Let's just do this."

Buffy led the way to the caves as soon as everyone had their weapons. The sun was now low enough for Spike to come with them and he stayed behind the group, promising to keep an eye on the younger slayers if they ran into any trouble fighting the demons and vamps that were waiting for them. Faith stayed close to Buffy's side, her skin just crawling and buzzing with every step closer they got to the caves. She knew she wasn't the only one feeling it and she and Buffy exchanged a look as they got to the mouth of the cave.

Nobody said a word as Buffy signalled the others to stay close as they entered the cave. Faith looked back and saw Xander and Anya standing by Willow, Dawn, and Tara's side. They had to wait for the signal that it was safe to enter. Xander had his axe ready, just in case. They could never be too prepared for what could happen. Demons and vamps were highly unpredictable and he was ready for anything that would come out of the cave as soon as the fight started.

Every step they took brought them closer to the horde of demons and vampires waiting for them. There was much more than a dozen, maybe two dozen or so. Faith waited for Buffy's signal, wanting nothing more than to jump into the thick of it and fight. The slayer inside of her was screaming, but she waited, waited for that signal knowing if she didn't and they all walked away from this, she'd be dealing with a very pissed off Buffy later for not following the plan.

"It's almost even," Buffy whispered to Faith as they huddled behind a few big boulders, most of the younger girls holding back further in the tunnel, waiting for the signal. "We can do this," she said and Faith smiled at her.

"Damn right we can, B. We'll take the demons and let the girls fight the vamps. Something tells me they aren't gonna be able to handle killing demons just yet."

"Right. We can't let them get hurt," Buffy nodded in agreement and she eyed the few demons that were pacing in front of one of four tunnels that split off from the junction up ahead. "Once I give the signal, there's no turning back. If Angel doesn't come to us, we have to find him as quickly as possible."

"I know the plan," Faith replied quietly, keeping her eyes on two of the demons that seemed to be instructing the others in a language she'd never heard before. "Let's take those two out first. They seem like they're in charge."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded and she made the signal to the girls to come forward. "Let's do this."

Faith and Buffy jumped right into the thick of it, Faith letting out a battle cry as she charged after the biggest demon out of them all. With the first roundhouse kick that sent the demon flying into the wall, she grinned, feeling her blood running hot and realized just how much she'd missed this. There was nothing like fighting, feeling that adrenaline fill her body like the most potent drug available. She never wanted to go back to being normal and she knew Buffy was thinking the same thing as she pinned her demon up against the wall.

Faith took a split second to watch Buffy as she took the demon's head clear off with the scythe and she turned her attention back to the demon she was fighting, kicking it hard in the head and sent it flying across the ground, knocking over a few vampires the younger girls were having a bit of trouble fighting.

Faith went after the demon, leaping on its back as it stood up and roared in pain as she plunged the sword into its thick, meaty neck. She pushed it away as she jumped off it, already spinning around to face the two demons coming straight for her before the one she just killed hit the ground. She ducked as a fist headed for her head and swept her legs around, taking the two demons down long enough for her to get some space between her and them.

"Buffy!" Faith yelled out, knowing she'd never be able to take on the two by herself since she was pretty much cornered. "Buffy, a little help here!"

"Busy!" Buffy yelled back as she struggled against three vamps that were trying to hold her down.

"Kennedy, help Buffy," Faith yelled. "Now!"

Buffy managed to kick the scythe towards Kennedy as she staked the vamp she was fighting and ran over to her. Faith pushed back the demon on her right and swung her sword around, barely scratching its chest before the one on her left backhanded her hard enough to send her to the ground. She spit out a mouthful of blood and leapt to her feet, her head spinning slightly from the blow she'd just taken.

She plunged her sword deep into the chest of the demon as it came after her and she breathed heavily as she pushed it away, hardly able to catch her breath before the second came at her and grabbed her by the throat. The sounds of the battle filled her ears, but it all faded as her heart raced and she stared into the ugly red eyes of the demon trying to strangle the life out of her. She grunted as she brought her legs up around the demon's torso and managed with a bit of difficulty to twist it to the ground as she fought its hands off her neck. It swiped her hard across the face, causing her to let go of her sword and she punched it hard, feeling the bones of its face crush under the force behind the blow.

The demon roared as Faith shoved it to the ground and straddled its chest, sending blow after blow to its face until it stopped moving and her hand was covered in its blood. She pushed herself off it and grabbed her sword, spinning around as the last of the demons came at her. she was already feeling tired, but she kept fighting, ducking out of the way of its fist and sword as it tried to take her out. She let out a sigh of relief when Buffy used to the scythe, killing it by swinging the scythe at its back and plunging it deep inside of it.

"You okay?" Buffy asked as she stared at Faith.

"I'm fine, B. Let's clear the rest of these bastards out and go after Angel."

Faith pulled out her stake from her back pocket and ran into the group of vampires that had the younger slayers surrounded. Most of them looked terrified, unable to move and Kennedy was trying to fight them off and protect the other girls all at once. Before Faith could reach them, a ball of light swept into the cave, incinerating the vampires instantly.

"Wicked mojo, Red," she said as she turned around to face Willow as she and Dawn and Tara came running in. "Couldn't you have done that before? Would've saved us half the fight."

"Sorry, I just-I was trying to save my energy for the spell," she said breathlessly. "We have a little problem."

"What?" Buffy asked as she limped towards them and that's when Faith saw the deep gash in her thigh. "What's the problem, Will?"

"Something is draining me, sucking the magic essence out of me. We need to do this quick before it's gone. We need to find Angel and get this done and over with right now, Buffy."

"Girls, split up," Buffy yelled out to the others as they tried to overcome the fear of facing so many vampires and barely getting out of the fight unscathed. "If you find him, yell out for us and we'll come. Whatever you do, don't fight him yet!"

"B, you with me?" Faith asked as she motioned towards the furthest tunnel. "Come on," she said as she grabbed onto Buffy's arm and led the way with Kennedy and Spike following close behind.

"That witch is damn lucky I didn't go up in flames with the rest of them," Spike muttered.

"Lucky for you, you weren't exactly in the thick of it," Buffy shot back at him and shook her head. "I thought you were here to fight, not hide, Spike?"

"Demon had me cornered, thought it was better to retreat, lead it out away from the others," Spike said and he groaned when Buffy slugged him hard in the face. "What the hell was that for?"

"For being a coward," she said and Faith grinned as she kept up with Buffy as they went deeper into the tunnel. "Kennedy," she said quietly as they spotted Angel and four other vampires up ahead. "Go back and get the others. Quickly!"

Faith gripped her sword tightly, wanting nothing more than to go after Angel right then and there, but she knew they had to wait. They wouldn't be able to kill him just yet and they had to take out the vampires that flanked him, protected him.

"Gee, it sure took you guys a long time to get here and fight," Angel said as he glared at them. "Such a pity the others couldn't hold you back. Was wondering if you'd make an army of your own too. Guess you didn't fall for the whole "the scythe is useless" bit. Always thought you were gullible, guess you learned over the years, didn't you, Buff?"

"This ends here," Buffy said as she stayed by Faith's side, both of them watching the four vampires as they inched their way towards them.

"That's where you're wrong," Angel said as he slipped into his game face. "You can't touch me."

"That's where _you're_ wrong," Spike spat at him. "Even as the First's Champion, you still need protection from others. How fuckin' pathetic is that?"

"Not protection," Angel replied easily as he motioned to the vampires to attack. "More like a way to wear you down, possibly take you out. You see these boys?" He said quickly as the vampires got closer to them. "Not your normal vampires. Stronger than those pesky Turok-Han too. I'm not the only Champion of the First here. See, he knew this would happen. Instead of one, you're facing five."

Faith shook a little bit, mostly from fatigue, but also from fear. If he wasn't trying to throw them off and was telling the truth, they were screwed. They couldn't fight Angel and four super-vamps long enough for Willow, Dawn, and Tara to do the spell. She was ready for this to end, but the end didn't look like it was coming. They didn't plan on having to face four other vampires that were just as strong as Angel was.

"Get Willow to do that spell now," Buffy said under her breath to Spike and pushed him back. "Now, Spike!"

"Still the good little pet vampire as always, isn't he?" Angel laughed and he growled loudly, making the four vampires stop in their tracks. "You aren't the only one who has pets, Buff."

"Right and your _pets_ are toast," Faith said but she didn't move, she couldn't move. She felt as if she'd been cemented to the spot. "What the hell?"

"Magic," Angel grinned. "You two aren't the only ones who cast a barrier to protect yourselves. See, as soon as I finish each and every one of you off, I can free the First and we can continue on our plans to put an end to this world and make it our own."

"I think you're underestimating just how powerful I am," Willow said as she stepped in between Faith and Buffy. "Light magic verses dark. You know which one always wins, don't you?"

"You're not as powerful as you think you are, witch."

"That's where you're wrong see," she said as her hair began to change to white slowly. Buffy and Faith just watched her as she raised a hand, exposing the barrier Angel had set up around him and the other four vampires. With a flick of her wrist, the barrier shattered and it left Angel looking a little less confident than he'd been before. "Light always is more powerful than all the dark magic in the world. It's something I've learned over the years."

"Willow, do the spell now," Buffy said under her breath. "We need to put an end to this before one of us gets killed."

"He can't touch you, Buffy, none of them can," Willow replied, her voice sounding light and airy as she took a step closer to Angel. She raised her hand and spoke softly, bright white sparks shooting out from her fingers at each of the four vampires surrounding Angel.

"What are you doing, Will?" Buffy asked, her voice shaky as she stared at Willow in awe.

"Taking care of things. Tara and Dawn are about to destroy the vessel," she said and she motioned behind her without turning around. Buffy and Faith both looked behind her and saw Dawn and Tara surrounded by the younger slayers and Spike, both of them chanting as the vessel floated in midair.

Faith could feel the power, the energy, and the magic rippling through the air as Willow held back the vampires and Angel with the light coming from her hands. It was strong and it made the slayer inside of her scream. This was their fight, _theirs_, not Willow's. This was not the plan, but whatever Willow was doing was working and she wasn't about to argue with that.

The ground beneath them began to shake and Faith turned back to Dawn and Tara, watching as the necklace burned bright before exploding into nothing. The vampires and Angel roared in pain and Faith felt whatever was holding her back let go and she ran ahead, ignoring Buffy as she screamed at her to stop. The connection had been severed and she wasn't about to waste any more time in taking Angel and his four former super-vamps out.

"Will!" Buffy yelled and Faith turned quickly, watching as Willow collapsed suddenly. "Girls, get them out of here now!"

Spike ran forward, standing at Faith's side as they attacked the four vampires quickly closing in on them. Buffy was right behind him and she went forward first, using the scythe to cleanly take all four vampires out in one swing.

"Nice moves, B," Faith grinned as they all faced a now terrified looking Angel. "Looks like you were wrong about everything, Angel. How's it feel? Facing us, facing some of the strongest magic in the world, stronger than anything the First ever had?"

"You have no idea what you've done," he growled as the ground shook violently under them. "Destroying the First will destroy half of the world."

"Sure about that?" Buffy asked him as the three of them cornered him as if he was nothing more than a scared little animal. "Let me think, eliminating most of the evil that walks this earth is a good thing. Makes our job easier and life safer for everyone else."

"Is it just me or was this way too easy?" Spike asked as he raised his own sword to Angel's throat.

"Wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either. Nothing quite like a fight against some baddies though," Faith said, unable to hide her grin as she raised her sword to Angel's chest. "So, Angel baby, how do you want to go out? You have a choice. Bleed out from a clean slice to the throat or have this sword of mine go clear through your sad, pathetic heart?"

"How about both?" Spike asked and Faith laughed as she pressed the sword a little harder against Angel's chest, just enough to pierce the skin and make him bleed.

"You can't kill me," Angel gasped painfully. "I'm human."

"No, you're not," Faith spat at him. "You are nothing close to being human, Angel. We all saw you vamp out. Even if you were human right now, I'd still kill you. Nothing about who you are right now is good. It's pure evil."

"I'm still human, a part of me is," he gasped as Spike pressed the tip of his sword harder against his throat when he tried to move away. "You can't kill something that is part human, can you, Faithy? Blood on your hands again, nightmares, the haunting voices that drove you insane."

"Not gonna bother me," she shrugged. "Either way, you're dead, Angel. Such a shame there wasn't much of a fight. Was really looking forward to kicking your ass but I'll settle on watching you die, quickly or slowly. That's up to you."

Spike pushed Faith out of the way as he vamped out. "Let me do this, Faith. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to watch him die."

Buffy held Faith back as they watched Spike swipe his sword clean across Angel's neck, not quite deep enough to kill him quickly. "Let him," Buffy whispered as she held her tightly. "Just let him do this, Faith."

"This isn't his fight, Buffy."

"Faith, don't," she urged as she made Faith look at her. "Just let him finish this for us."

Faith was breathing heavily as she looked back over at Angel and Spike, watching as Spike punched him a few times in the face before he plunged the sword into his chest. Angel gasped, his eyes rolling back in his head as he slumped to the ground, blood pooling quickly around him as he bled out.

* * *

The three of them walked out of the cave once they were sure Angel had taken his last breath. Even though he'd been part vampire, he didn't turn to dust, not right away, not until he'd bled out completely, his body slowly turning to dust before it crumbled away.

Most of the younger slayers were bruised and bloody, but they were all alive, scared but alive. Willow was in the Jeep passed out, the magic having drained her far worse than any of them thought it would. Kennedy was busy boasting to her Watcher about the fight, still far too excited about having faced her first vampires and demons and walked away with barely a scratch.

"You won't always walk away unscathed from every fight you walk into, no matter how big and bad you expect it to be," Anthony said calmly to Kennedy to stop her from boasting to the other slayers. "Always remember that if you've walked away from one fight, doesn't mean you'll walk away from the next just as easy."

"I thought this was going to be way worse," Vi whispered just loud enough for Faith to overhear as she loaded the weapons into the bed of the truck. "Here I thought Angel was a Big Bad."

"He was," Faith said to her and the few others standing by her. "Soon as his ties to the First were severed, he wasn't nearly as strong as he'd been. Turned out to be nothing more than a fuckin' coward."

"Faith!" Buffy yelled at her as she smacked her across the back of the head. "Language."

"What?" Faith groaned as she rubbed her head and gave Buffy a dubious look. "It's not like they're children, B. Sure they've heard the word "fuck" before, hell, some of them are even using it themselves."

"Not the point, Faith. We're supposed to set an example for them."

"Yeah, yeah," Faith said, rolling her eyes and causing the girls standing near her to start giggling. She pouted at Buffy who gave her a cold stare and she finished loading up the last of the weapons into the truck. "You gonna stay mad at me all night, B?"

"No."

"Good, 'cause we're going out to celebrate!" Faith said and the girls all cheered before she could add in the fact that she only wanted to go out and celebrate with Buffy. As much as she knew the girls needed a night out, she wasn't looking forward to having to babysit them or have them tag along to the Bronze. "Shit. Any idea how we can get rid of the baby slayers, B?"

"No idea," she shrugged and she pulled Faith towards the front of the truck and kissed her softly. "Maybe we should just let them come along? How bad can it be? Besides they all deserve to celebrate, it was their first fight and all. Nobody is seriously injured. I say that's a damn good reason to let them come out and celebrate with us."

Faith relented and wrapped her arms around Buffy. She could feel the tension had eased up from before as Buffy relaxed in her arms. They'd been cooped up in the house all week without even going out for one single patrol. Faith was still feeling all sorts of worked up from the fight and despite her muscles protesting for a hot shower and some rest, she knew she needed nothing more than a decent night out dancing and then fucking Buffy senseless after they spent a few hours on the dance floor.

They were pushing their luck, Faith could just feel something else brewing, but it wasn't going to stop her from celebrating the easy than expected fight with her girlfriend, their friends, and the younger slayers. And nothing was going to stop her from taking Buffy to the only nice motel in Sunnydale and give her a night she'd definitely remember.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Buffy stood in front of the bathroom mirror after having spent the better part of the last half hour having a nice, hot shower. Diana had taken seven of the younger slayers to her house, giving Buffy and her mother a little bit of breathing room in their own house. As soon as the girls had realized what their Calling was, none of them wanted to go back to their own normal lives. Buffy wanted to convince them otherwise, but it was their life and if they wanted to spend it fighting the forces of evil, who was she to argue with them about that?

"Buffy, are you done in there? Some of us still need to shower!" Kennedy yelled as she pounded on the bathroom door. "Not all of us are used to being covered in vamp dust here!"

"Give me a minute!" Buffy yelled back and rolled her eyes as she grabbed her brush off the edge of the sink and used the hand towel to wipe the steam off the mirror for the second time since she'd gotten out of the shower.

Faith was going to pick her up after the others had already left for the celebration at the Bronze. It'd be their first real date and despite having been together for over six weeks now and then the fact that their date would be spent with their friends and the new slayers, she was nervous. Faith had told her before they left the clearing a mile from the caves to pack a change of clothes and to tell her mother she wouldn't be home that night. That only meant Faith had something more than just going to the Bronze planned and it made Buffy wish they'd go do whatever else Faith had planned and ditch going to the Bronze all together.

She had to keep her mind on their night out because when she didn't, all she saw was Giles dead on her living room floor and the look in Angel's eyes as he bled out and died slowly. It was too much death, too much pain, two men she loved in very different ways were gone now and they were never coming back. She had to get it together, accept it and move on.

"You have Faith now," she said to her reflection, smiling at the thought of actually being able to spend some time alone with Faith later that night.

"Buffy, can you talk to yourself in your room?" Kennedy asked, resuming her pounding on the bathroom door. "Yeah, yeah we can all hear you, slayers here, hello."

Buffy laughed and quickly ran her brush through her damp hair and grabbed her robe, slipping it on as she unlocked the bathroom door. "Impatient much, Ken?"

"Ugh, you may be used to having vamp dust all over you for a couple of hours but I so am not ever going to get used to this," Kennedy said as she pushed past her and slammed the door shut behind her.

Even though Kennedy had been at the house for nearly a week, she seemed to forget it took time in between showers for the water to get hot again. Buffy smirked when Kennedy shrieked loud enough to pierce ear drums and had a bit of a skip in her step as she walked to her room to get ready for her night out. The last thing she heard before she shut her bedroom door was Kennedy saying how she'd pay Buffy back for using up all the hot water.

Buffy felt a sense of relief wash over her as soon as they walked out of the caves, much like she had before when they fought the Neqa'el back in Scotland, only it was a different kind of relief. Something deep down inside of her told her things were going to change from here on out.

She wondered how Faith was dealing since she decided to go back to her parents' house, make amends as best as she could with her mother. It had been her decision, one Buffy didn't even know she was going to make until just before they went their separate ways after the fight. She knew Faith had to see that as much as things looked like they were like before, they were different now and her mother didn't deserve her walking out on her and her father. Buffy hadn't even tried talking to Faith about her family, but she knew in the last couple of days, all those moments Faith went off alone, she had to be thinking about it, thinking of ways to fix things before they got any worse.

"Hey," Faith said as she tapped on Buffy's open bedroom window.

"Faith!" Buffy said in a hushed whisper as she spun around to look at her. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Checkin' you out although the show's been pretty PG so far. How 'bout you get rid of that robe and make it a little more R rated here, babe?" Faith asked, grinning as she slipped inside and wrapped her arms around Buffy before she could step away from the window.

"How can you be ready already?"

"I don't spend half an hour in the shower, babe," Faith replied as she tugged at the belt on her robe. "How long until the baby slayers are ready to go?"

"They hate it when you call them that," Buffy whispered as she let Faith slip her robe open and watched her as she licked over her lips and looked down at her body as she put some space between them. Faith inhaled sharply as she ran her fingers over the gash on Buffy's thigh before moving her hand up slowly, tracing over the insides of her upper thighs. "Uh, baby, if you start this now, we'll never get out of here."

"Maybe that's the whole idea?" Faith purred and she leaned in and kissed Buffy hard as she backed her up the few steps to the bed. "Don't tell me you aren't loving the idea of us going off somewhere alone for tonight."

"Been thinking about the possibility of doing just that, but we promised we'd show up at the Bronze tonight, Faith. And you," Buffy said and she pushed Faith away from her and pulled her robe closed. "You were supposed to pick me up at the front door _after_ the others left for the Bronze in about an hour."

"Don't I get bonus points for trying?" Faith asked, smirking as she allowed Buffy to push her back towards the window. "Okay, I get the hint, B. I'll go down, wait an hour, ring the doorbell and do the proper thing. Spoil all my fun."

"Fun?" Buffy laughed as she poked Faith in the shoulder. "You call sneaking into my room after I've had a shower fun? If I didn't like you so much I'd say that was just on the borderline of stalking me, baby."

"You love it."

"Maybe," Buffy said, fighting back her smile as she made Faith climb back out the window. "I'll see you in about an hour, okay?"

"What the hell am I gonna do for an hour, B?"

Buffy shrugged and closed the window, winking at her as she closed the blinds so Faith couldn't watch her get dressed. She was a tease, she knew she was and she loved seeing Faith get worked up. They'd been teasing each other all week, never having more than an hour alone, even at night, and she knew it wouldn't kill either of them to wait a few hours more.

Buffy carefully chose her outfit for the night, one that would compliment Faith's red leather pants and tight black tank top she was wearing, a black leather skirt that was short and tight and a silky white backless shirt that hung off her slight curves in all the right ways. She wore her knee high boots and kept her silver cross necklace on. She left her hair down, making a mental note to take a trip to the salon as soon as she could to try to tame the multiple shades of blonde streaks in it. She took is easy on the makeup too, knowing she didn't need too much to pull off a sexy, sultry look. One look in the mirror by the time she was done and she knew she looked much older than seventeen.

Remembering what Faith had said about bringing a change of clothes since she wouldn't be coming home, she grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a loose fitting white t-shirt and her sandals to wear the next day, shoving them in a small backpack along with a few stakes just in case. She'd call her mother later and leave a message on the machine to let her know she wouldn't be back until the morning. She felt it was easier than telling her face-to-face about spending the night alone with Faith, knowing she'd disapprove.

Buffy grabbed her leather jacket and slipped it on while she listened to Kennedy and the others downstairs as they finished getting ready to go out and celebrate. She slipped out of her room and headed downstairs as soon as she heard them all leave. She hoped to slip past her mother, but as she reached the bottom of the stairs she could hear her mother talking to someone in the kitchen. She didn't catch much of the conversation but she recognized the other voice. It belonged to Faith's mother Ruth.

"She just showed up here like five minutes ago," Faith said softly as she walked out of the living room. "Said something about needing to "touch base" with your mom, get friendlier or whatever since you and me are together and all that and damn, B," Faith whistled as she checked Buffy out. "You're looking good, girlfriend."

"Looking good yourself too, baby," Buffy smiled as she leaned in for a kiss, trying to keep it chaste, wanting nothing more than to slip out of the house unnoticed. Faith had other ideas, deepening their kiss as she ran her hands over Buffy's ass and slipped underneath her skirt. Buffy squirmed away from her and shook her head no. "You have no sense of control tonight, do you?"

"What can I say? That fight got me all worked up," Faith replied, wiggling her eyebrows as she took Buffy's hand in hers and led her out the front door. "Besides," Faith said as she opened the passenger door and leaned into Buffy, stopping her from getting into the truck, "you've been fuckin' teasing me all week. I'll be lucky if I can go another five minutes without trying to figure out if you're wearing panties or not."

"Guess you have to wait until later to-Faith!" Buffy gasped as Faith slid her hand under her skirt and cupped her pussy, grabbing it a little forcefully, causing her to roll her hips forward at the sudden and unexpected intrusion.

"Damn," Faith grinned as she slipped a finger between Buffy's folds, teasing her as she backed her up against the side of the truck. "No panties? That's fuckin' hot, B."

"You should stop," Buffy gasped as she tossed her bag into the truck and grabbed on to Faith's shoulders. "You really should stop. We have to meet the other's at the Bronze, remember?"

"Waited all fuckin' week to touch you," Faith whispered as she circled her fingers over Buffy's clit slowly but hard, making her spread her legs a little bit, wanting more. "Driving me fuckin' crazy here. All I can think about is you and tonight is gonna be pure fuckin' hell if we gotta hang around the baby slayers and the Scoobies with me feeling like this."

"You're always horny," Buffy said softly, gasping as Faith eased a finger inside of her. "Tell me we're going somewhere completely private later," Buffy asked as she forced Faith to take her hand out from under her skirt despite her body screaming at her not to stop her.

"Rented a room at that motel downtown, you know the one that actually doesn't look like a shithole? Thankfully they didn't ask for I.D. or else I never would've gotten a room there and we would've been stuck at that shitty motel I stayed in before. I can't take you _there_. You deserve better than that. Fuck," Faith groaned as she leaned her forehead against Buffy's. "Was gonna keep that a surprise. I really suck at keeping things a secret."

"It's never been something you've been good at and you are a really shitty liar."

"Guess I'll never get shit from you for lying about whatever then, huh?"

"We'll see. Now come on, if we're late I'll never hear the end of it from the others," Buffy said and she climbed into the passenger seat and waited for Faith to get in too. "Come on, baby. We'll only stay for an hour, two at most."

Faith grumbled as she walked around to the driver's side and got in. Buffy knew how Faith was feeling, the tension and pent up frustration becoming unbearable to the point where she would've gladly let Faith fuck her right there in her driveway if it weren't for the fact that she was afraid of being caught by her mother. Or worse, by Spike who had that annoying habit of creeping around her house.

* * *

The Bronze was packed by the time Buffy led Faith inside by the hand, ignoring all the stares from the people they walked past. Buffy managed to spot Xander and Anya sitting at a table by the dance floor and she dragged Faith through the crowd towards them.

"You guys made it," Xander said with a smile as he motioned for them to sit down. "We didn't think you'd come."

"We made a bet," Anya said pointedly. "I bet Xander five dollars you two would've gone off somewhere to have sex."

"An!" Xander groaned.

"What? Just because we all came back doesn't mean I'm going to change," Anya replied and she smiled at Buffy and Faith as they sat down at the table. "And you better not ask me to marry you again, Xander, and leave me at the altar. I will seriously hate you if you do that to me. Again."

"Don't gotta worry about that," Xander said under his breath and Buffy barely heard him over the music. "An, you owe me five bucks."

"Pay him," Anya said to Buffy and Faith, causing the two of them to burst out laughing. "What?"

"You know that's not how bets actually work, right?" Faith asked her. Faith slipped a twenty out of her pocket and motioned towards the bar. "Drinks are on me tonight, guys. You want anything, B?"

"I just want to dance," Buffy replied and Faith shrugged and headed for the bar. "I can't believe you guys bet on us!" She said in a loud whisper to Xander. "Why would you do that?"

"Everyone was thinking the same thing," Xander shrugged. "We all really did think you two weren't going to show up tonight."

"Oh god."

"Buffy, you came!" Willow said excitedly as she bounced over to join them at the table. "We didn't think you were coming."

"Did you get in on the bet too?" Buffy asked, rolling her eyes but smiling since she was trying to let it go.

"Bet? What bet?"

"The one where we thought her and Faith would end up fu-"

"Anya, let's go dance," Xander said as he cut her off and pulled her out on to the dance floor.

"What bet?" Willow asked as she sat next to Buffy. "I have no idea about any bet. I just didn't think you and Faith would come since you didn't come with the girls."

"We tried to make this into a date, kinda," Buffy said and shrugged as she tried to spot Faith through the crowd hanging around the bar. "This might've been a bad idea."

"Aren't dates supposed to be more, you know, alone?"

"Yeah, but apparently that word doesn't exist in our relationship."

"Oh."

Buffy nodded and kept looking for Faith and as soon as she spotted her, she smiled and caught herself checking her out as she fought with a guy in line at the bar. Willow nudged her, giving her a knowing smile and she tried hard to fight back the blush.

"What's it like?" Willow asked her. "Being with Faith, I mean."

"It's different," Buffy replied. "A good different. She's not like anything I expected her to be. She can be really sweet sometimes and her being Faith, it's totally unexpected."

"The fact you two are even together is unexpected, kind of. Not to mention the fact that we all kind of knew before that you liked her. Back in the beginning before all the bad stuff happened. Always knew you were sinking deep in denial land when it came to Faith," Willow said, grinning at Buffy as she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Faith as she carried a few glasses of Coke over to the table, fighting her way through the heavy crowd while trying not to spill any.

"Fuckin' asshole behind the bar wouldn't serve me a beer. Tried to get that meathead to buy me one and he gave me shit about it," Faith said angrily as she placed the drinks on the table.

"You're underage," Willow pointed out.

"Never stopped me before. Hey Red, you think you can magic some Jack in these drinks?"

"Nope," Willow replied and she got off her stool. "All magicked out from earlier. I would if I could, but you know you don't need to have alcohol to have fun."

"Whatever."

Buffy knew it was going to be a long couple of hours before they could slip out of the Bronze without being relentlessly teased for days on an end by the others. She knew she could handle the teasing, she knew it was coming since everyone was becoming more comfortable with her and Faith's relationship. As the music changed and the beat became quicker, her body urged her to dance to release some of the tension that had been building up inside of her all week. All it takes is one look between her and Faith and they don't even say a word to Willow as they head for the dance floor, their eyes locked on one another, their minds somewhere else, somewhere far away from the Bronze, their life, the changes, and the death that constantly surrounded them.

* * *

Faith drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulled up into the motel parking lot hours later. Three and a half hours later than the "one hour, two at most" Buffy had promised her they'd spend at the Bronze. She was agitated, her body humming from the hours she'd spent dancing with Buffy, feeling nothing but her and the music and the odd guy that tried to cut in on them that she just pushed away. She was surprised she'd managed to keep her hands mostly to herself, but she wasn't about to cause a scene in a place she knew they'd end up spending a lot of time at just like they used to before everything went wrong between them.

Faith took a deep breath as she parked in the spot in front of room nine. She'd been there earlier before she went to Buffy's house and climbed up to her window. It wasn't bad, there was a bed and a half-decent TV and the bathroom was clean. She thought of putting candles throughout the small room, but visions of her taking Buffy hard as soon as they walked in the door, clothes flying everywhere, well she knew that wasn't a good idea since she wasn't a fan of setting something on fire and ruining their night. Instead, she settled on a rose that she had on her dash that she'd given to Buffy after they left the Bronze.

_I really suck at being romantic_, she thought as she looked over at Buffy as she plucked the rose off the dashboard and smelled it. _She doesn't seem to think so though_.

Faith shook her head, grabbed Buffy's bag off the floor and hopped out of the truck. She ran around and opened Buffy's door, smiling at the look of surprise on her face. Buffy pulled her in for a kiss and she kissed her long, deep, and slow. It made the buzz in Faith's body intensify and she knew she had to get them in the room or she'd end up taking Buffy up against the truck like she did earlier.

And really, who could blame her? Buffy looked hot and leather really did suit her. It wasn't the clothes that got Faith hot. It was what was under them, or the obvious lack of.

After fumbling with the key, it barely fitting in the lock, Faith managed to get the door open and led Buffy inside. She tossed the bag into the chair by the door and shut it behind her. Buffy instantly had her pinned up against the door, her hands sliding under her shirt as she kissed Faith hard. Faith moaned into her mouth as Buffy's hands slid over her breasts, her nipples hardening under Buffy's insistent fingers.

"Fuck," Faith panted as she pulled back from Buffy's lips.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hell no," Faith grinned as she ran her hands over the soft curve of Buffy's ass. "Why would you think something is wrong, B?"

"I don't know," she shrugged as she slid her hands out from under Faith's top.

"Just want to take it slow, babe. We got the room for the whole night."

"Slow?" Buffy asked as she raised an eyebrow in surprise. "After all week and then tonight, you want to take it slow?"

"Nah, I actually wanna fuck you up against the door, bury my tongue inside of your hot little pussy and have you screaming my name."

"And then?" Buffy asked as she took Faith's hand in her own and guided it between them and up her skirt slowly. "What do you want to do to me after you fuck me right here?"

"I'm gonna make love to you," she whispered, smiling as Buffy's eyes went darker with desire. "And then you can do whatever you want to me after."

"Is that right?"

Faith nodded, slowly turning them around until she had Buffy up against the door. "What are you gonna do to me, B?"

"I'd rather just show you. Surprise you."

Faith leaned in as if to kiss her, but she dipped her head down and rained her lips over Buffy's neck, her tongue dipping out in the hollow of her throat as her fingers slid up her inner thigh. She could feel Buffy's heart racing as she knelt down on her knees and swept her hands down and up her legs, lifting one over her shoulder as she pushed the leather skirt up and over Buffy's hips. Buffy was shaking in anticipation and Faith looked up at her, smiling lasciviously as she ran the tip of her fingers along the insides of Buffy's thighs, not yet touching her when she wanted to and where she knew Buffy needed to be touched.

Buffy's hand moved to the back of her neck, guiding her in closer, needing her, eyes pleading with her just to touch her, fuck her, and give her that release she'd been waiting for all night-all week. She gripped onto the leg she had over her shoulder and inhaled deeply, her eyes still looking up at Buffy, that smile-more of a smirk now-still curled over her lips. She gripped onto Buffy's thigh as her tongue slipped out, licking her fully and feeling her whole body shake.

"Faith..." Buffy moaned as she licked over her again, slower yet harder, tasting her on every inch of her tongue. "Fuck me. Take me."

_Slow_, that voice in her head reminded her, but she couldn't take the slowness anymore. She needed Buffy, she needed to give her that sweet release, she needed all of her, but most of all she needed to feel her, hear her cry out her name as she came hard.

Faith gripped onto her thigh hard enough she knew there'd be bruises that would be faded by morning. She used her other hand, spreading Buffy open before her and she licked over her again, feeling Buffy shudder again at the feel of her tongue teasing her. Buffy moaned and Faith could feel the vibrations as she slipped her tongue deep inside Buffy's hot, wet, and tight hole. Faith knew she was close already and she held back her smirk, fucking her tongue in and out of Buffy's pussy, her thumb finding its way to her throbbing clit.

"Oh Faith..." Buffy sighed out, gripping her hair as she held her right where she was. "Just like that, baby. Don't stop."

Faith pulled back, licking over her lips, breathing heavily as she slid her fingers lazily over Buffy's pussy. The floor was hard, uncomfortable, making her knees hurt just a little and she wanted to move things to the bed and get a little more naked-a lot more naked, yet she wasn't about to leave Buffy just on the edge without finishing what she'd started. She flicked her eyes up to meet Buffy's only Buffy had her eyes shut tight and she was biting her lower lip as her fingers stroked through Faith's hair.

"How come you stopped?"

"Didn't," Faith whispered as she leaned forward, tongue sneaking out to circle over her clit. "Just getting started. Kinda rethinking this whole up against the door thing."

"Huh? Why?"

"Killer on the knees," she laughed dryly and she stood up slowly, keeping her fingers moving over Buffy's pussy, using the tip of her middle finger to tease her hole. "Plus it'd be such a shame to have this whole room to ourselves and a big comfy bed and not use it."

"You're the one who-"

Faith crushed her lips against Buffy's, not only just to shut her up but because she couldn't just stare at her when the temptation to kiss her was too much. Buffy was already pulling at her jacket as Faith backed them up towards the bed and she pulled her hand away from Buffy's pussy, pulling her jacket off the rest of the way before urging Buffy to get rid of hers.

They became so lost in one another they didn't notice the swirling light surrounding them as they pulled the last of their clothes off and tumbled down onto the bed together, lost so far deep in a sea of ecstasy it felt as if they were both drowning in it, in each other.

* * *

The sunlight woke Buffy up far too early the next morning. She pulled the covers over her head, groaning as she tried to blink away the heavy sleepiness her whole body ached for. Faith was still next to her, lying on her stomach and completely passed out. Even under the covers, Buffy could see the fading red scratches all over Faith's back and shoulders along with the light purple love bites all over her neck. She had no doubt her body looked like she'd gone ten rounds with a vampire before getting the upper hand.

"Too early," Faith groaned into the pillow before she lifted her head a little to look at Buffy. "Go back to sleep, B."

"Sun is too bright. Didn't the window have blinds on it last night or was I just imagining things?"

Buffy poked her head out from the covers and sure enough, the window did have blinds, only they were open, allowing the early morning sunlight to pour into the room and practically blind her. Then it hit her, something was different and she blinked, trying to get her eyes to adjust. They were definitely not in the motel room; it was obvious from the size of the room and the lack of the crappy furniture that had been in the room.

"Um, Faith?" Buffy whispered as she slid back down underneath the covers. "We got a little problem."

"Aside from the sun and it being too damn early?" Faith muttered as she buried her face into the pillow and groaned loudly. "Whatever it is, B, it can wait for a few hours."

"Really can't," Buffy squeaked and she forced Faith to lift her head from the pillow as she pulled the covers back. "Correct me if I'm wrong but this is not the same room we came into last night, is it?"

"Fuck," Faith sighed as she rubbed her eyes and sat up to look around the room. "Well fuck me, it's not. What the hell is going on?"

Buffy shrugged as she sat up with her and she looked around the room. It was far too homey to be the motel room and there were pictures on the dresser and the wall behind it, pictures of her friends, her family, of her and Faith together. The closet door was open and it was filled to the brim with clothes. Wherever they were, this room belonged to both of them.

"Again, what the _hell_?" Faith asked loudly as she picked up the picture off the side table and showed it to Buffy. "Graduation. Both of us. Well, all of us," she said and shook her head as Buffy took the frame from her and stared at the picture of her, Faith, Willow, Xander, Anya and Dawn all posing together in their maroon graduation gowns, smiling and holding their diplomas up for the camera.

"Did we..."

"I think so."

"How is that possible?"

"Beats me," Faith shrugged as she slipped out of bed and stretched out, moaning as she walked over to the window and looked out. "Still in Sunnydale at least."

"How do you know?"

"Believe me, I know," she replied without turning around to look at Buffy. "We need to figure out what the fuck is going on right now."

Buffy got up from the bed and found a soft white silk robe on the floor nearby. She slipped it on, walked to the door by the dresser, and opened it. She stepped out into a small, short hallway and soon found herself standing in a spacious living room with a small kitchen in the far corner. As far as she could tell they were in an apartment, theirs perhaps, but it still didn't make any sense to her. When did that happen? Surely they would've noticed the changes they'd obviously gone through last night, wouldn't they? Buffy shook her head knowing they wouldn't have, not with the way she continuously felt the rest of the world slipping away as she and Faith made love as if it'd been their first time all over again.

Buffy sat down on the leather couch and took a few deep breaths. There had to be an explanation for this, for why they were wherever the hell they were. Faith walked out a few minutes later wearing a pair of sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt looking just as confused as Buffy felt.

"This is really fucked," Faith muttered as she sat down next to Buffy on the couch. "Like royally fucked up, B. What the hell happened last night? We didn't drink or anything did we?"

"No."

"Checked out some of the stuff in the bedroom," she said and shrugged. "Weapons look like they belong to us and most of the knives are ones I know I'd love to have so maybe we're...home?"

"If we're home, why doesn't it feel like home, Faith?"

"Fuck, if I knew, we wouldn't be asking questions we ain't go any answers to," Faith replied angrily and she stood up and walked to the kitchen. She held up a few envelopes and shook her head. "Got our names on them and an address, which I'm thinking is where we are right now."

"We need to find the others," Buffy said as she stood up and joined Faith in the kitchen, looking over the stack of mail she'd just held up. "Maybe they know what's going on? I mean, if we can find them and all."

"You think we...I dunno, got propelled back into the future where we started before we got sent back to alt-universe SunnyD?"

"If that happened, thank god," Buffy said and she chuckled at the oblivious look on Faith's face. "Thank god we didn't have to relive through senior year," she said, trying to look on the bright side of things. "But obviously we did and we just don't remember it. God I hate this stuff. None of it ever makes any sense."

"No it doesn't make sense," Faith said and she shrugged as if she didn't have a care in the world and she opened the fridge. "At least there's food. Lots of food. And beer."

Buffy rolled her eyes and ripped open one of the envelopes with her name on it. Inside was a credit card bill and it had a date written on top. "Well, that answers one question," Buffy muttered mostly to herself when she read the date, almost the exact day they'd gone back to Sunnydale, September 17th, 2004. But that was just the date on the bill. It didn't mean that it was that day.

"What does?" Faith asked as she pulled out a box of leftover pizza and took a slice out. "B?"

"We're back, not _back_ in Scotland back, but we're back."

"Great, more mindfucks," Faith said in between bites. "This better be the last fuckin' time we gotta go through this shit or I swear to god I'll kick whoever's ass that sent us back like this."

"We need to find Willow and the others," Buffy said and she picked up the cordless phone off the kitchen counter and went through all the numbers stored until she found Willow's.

"What if nobody else knows what the fuck is going on, then what?"

"I don't know, Faith. I honestly don't know."

* * *

Buffy watched Willow as she paced the living room floor. After several phone calls and a few hours later, they were all seated in what Buffy knew was her and Faith's apartment. Xander was freaked, probably more so than the others, which was understandable since he discovered he and Anya had gotten married sometime in the past five years. Dawn was the least freaked out of all of them, casually sipping on her coffee she'd picked up on the way over.

"I don't know what happened," Willow said as she continued pacing the floor. "After the Bronze last night, things are a little hazy. I just remember going home and going to bed and waking up in the apartment downstairs."

"Was Danu with you?" Faith asked her.

"Dani? No, I was alone when I went to sleep and alone when I woke up."

"Where is she?" Faith asked, her eyes flickering with anger and frustration. "Do you even have an idea where she is, Red?"

"I don't know!" Willow yelled and she growled in frustration, something that shocked all of them. Willow rarely got mad like that, but she was clearly feeling the confusion just as they all were. "Until the phone rang, I had no idea there was something wrong, that things were different. Again."

"Maybe we should find someone who didn't come back with us the first time. Pretty sure they might know what the hell is going on right now instead of us," Xander said, sounding a little less freaked out than he'd been ten minutes before when he first showed up at the door. "I left the house too quick to stop and ask Anya what the hell is going on and why there was a screaming baby in her arms."

"A baby? You have a _baby_?" Dawn squeaked, her eyes going wide as the others all stared at Xander like he'd turned into a vampire. "Since when do you have a baby?"

"Guys?" Buffy sighed as she looked to Faith and then over to Willow. "We need to find out what is going on before we start totally freaking out over this."

"Already freaking out here, Buff," Xander said and he shook his head as Willow began to pace the floor yet again.

"Is there any way to find Danu-er I mean Dani?" Dawn asked and Willow shrugged. "There has to be a way. She has to still be around, right? What about Kennedy? What about Diana?"

"Already tried Diana, there was no answer," Faith said and she sighed as she put her arm around the back of the couch and looked at Buffy. "B tried to call Joyce, no answer there either."

"What about your parents?" Buffy asked.

Faith shrugged. "Didn't try them yet and I'm not so sure I want to right now either. Look," she said and she looked around the room at each of them. "There's gotta be a way to figure out how this happened."

"Not worried about the "how" so much," Willow said softly. "More worried about everything we missed. I thought we'd have to do everything all over again. Why were we suddenly thrust back to our old "now" and why last night? Why not right when we destroyed the vessel with the First inside of it and Spike killed Angel?"

"We earned it," Faith said and everyone turned to look at her. "Danu said we had to earn the right to live a normal life, you know the one I wished for without thinking of the consequences first? Whatever happened last night, the Powers that Be, or Fate, or whatever, it decided we earned it and brought us back to the same time we'd left before."

Buffy knew whatever the reason was that they'd been sent forward, they'd figure it out one way or another and until they did, they couldn't jump to conclusions. It'd only serve one purpose if they did and that was to drive them absolutely insane wondering of the how's, the whys, and what ifs.


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

After the most confusing week of their lives, they were thrust right back to where they'd started, without any solid answers or reasons why things had happened the way they had. Willow had gotten in touch with Tara and once Tara arrived at Buffy and Faith's apartment, she sat down and told them all she knew, which was more than enough to have to hear in one sitting.

Tara said she'd noticed something different about all of them the night after the Bronze. Xander called it autopilot and she had to agree. Since she wasn't really part of their everyday lives, just part of it, she could only tell them so much about the last four years. As soon as they'd finished high school, Faith had found an apartment and it only took Buffy three weeks before she moved in with her. College came and the only ones who didn't go were Faith and Xander, both of them having started up their own contracting business together. Willow was still attending college part-time and Buffy had graduated with a degree in social services and was working at the high school as a counsellor.

For the most part, it was as if their life had taken a normal path. Destroying the vessel with the First hadn't erased all evil in the world as previously thought either, but it made it damn well near impossible for anyone or anything to open any of the Hellmouths in the world. Between Willow, Tara, and Dawn, they'd managed to permanently cloak all the Hellmouths, resulting in less active areas and hot spots. Kennedy was in Cleveland with Vi and Rona, and the rest of the younger slayers had been spread out over the world after they spent nearly a year training with Buffy, Faith, and the two Watchers, Diana and Anthony.

"What about Joyce?" Faith asked, knowing Buffy was too afraid to ask about her mother. "She's alive, right?"

"Yeah," Tara nodded. "Very alive and well and probably on her way over for her weekly Saturday lunch with you two."

"Really?" Buffy asked, trying to hide the big smile as it curled over her lips. "She's okay?"

"Yes, Buffy, she is okay."

"What about Dani," Willow asked Tara, wondering what happened to the former Neqa'el.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Well don't keep us in suspense here, T," Faith said. "What happened to her?"

"I'm surprised she isn't here right now actually," Tara replied. "I rarely see you and Dani apart," she said to Willow. "You two are together," she added and smiled at the oblivious look on all their faces. "I really can't tell you guys anymore than what I already have. I'm not a big part of your lives, I was actually surprised when Willow called and asked me to come here."

"You're not? Why not?" Willow asked.

"I don't know, Willow," Tara replied with a shrug. "It's just the way things are, you know? I've only been helping you try to catalogue Giles' vast library of books we got a few months ago."

While Tara explained to Willow just what they were doing with the library of books they acquired through Giles' estate, Buffy went to the kitchen to grab the last cup of coffee out of the coffee pot. She wanted nothing more than to have lived the last five years of their life instead of starting over with not a single memory of what had happened.

"Bet you're thinking that it shouldn't have been this way," Faith whispered as she joined her in the kitchen. "Can you believe any of this shit, B?"

"I don't know what I want to believe anymore, Faith."

"But hey, we're still together. Who knew we'd make it this long?"

"It's a very nice bonus," Buffy smiled at her. "Don't you wonder what happened to Spike?"

"Sure he's still around, there are a few things I wanna ask him like why Giles had a vial of your blood."

"When? When did Giles have a vial of my blood?"

"Before Dawn came back, Spike had a vial of what he claimed was your blood. Said he swiped it off Giles."

"Oh. Oh, what the hell?"

"That's what I'm sayin', B. Spike mighta been playing the "good" card and trying to help us out, but he sure as hell is hiding something from us."

"I think..." Buffy groaned as she felt the room begin to spin. "This is too much."

"It is, but what have we got to lose, B?"

"Everything?"

"How about nothing. This is what you wanted, wasn't it? A normal life and from the way Tara described it, that's exactly what we got now."

"But it's not fair," Buffy sighed. "We missed everything that matters."

"Did we? Would you rather forget everything we've been through in the last few weeks?"

"It would be nice to actually know what the hell kind of life we've got here," Buffy said through clenched teeth, trying to stay as calm as was possible at the moment. "I thought the last week was bad enough as it was and now we just lost five fucking years!"

"Look on the bright side," Faith shrugged, trying not to laugh at Buffy's obvious distress. "You didn't have to live through your senior year again. Thought that's what you wanted?"

"I did but I-crap. You know what, maybe it's not as bad as I'm making it out to be, right? I mean obviously life is of the good right now for all of us, right?"

"Not to mention when I was snooping around the bedroom earlier there's a drawer full of toys," Faith whispered, wiggling her eyebrows as Buffy's eyes went wide. "Autopilot us sure have a healthy sex life that I can tell ya."

"Oh god."

"What are you two whispering about?" Dawn asked, joining them in the kitchen and giving them both a look. "Guys?"

"Nothing," Buffy blurted out. "What are they talking about in there?"

"Tara is still explaining to Willow about the library of books. Boring stuff if you ask me. Now seriously, what are you two whispering about in here?"

"Stuff you should never have to hear," Buffy replied firmly. "How's Xander holding up?"

"I think he's still in shock, B," Faith said as the three of them looked over at Xander. "I mean being married with a baby and all, that's gotta be somethin' else to wake up to this morning."

Buffy sighed and stared at Xander, wondering just what was going through his mind and how he was dealing. On the outside, he looked pretty freaked out and she knew it was a least a hundred times worse on the inside. Buffy sat on the stool at the breakfast bar and groaned as she buried her face into her hands.

_Why does everything have to be so damn complicated_, she wondered and she looked over at her friends and then over at Dawn and Faith. "How are we going to figure out everything we need to know?" She asked them, both just shrugging in response. "We all have...jobs and lives and jobs! Faith, do you even know a thing about construction? Tara said you and Xander have your own company. What the hell do you know about running your own company and with Xander?"

"Pretty sure it's not impossible," she replied easily. "What about you with the job as a high school counsellor? Not a far cry from what you were doing before Sunnydale went-" Faith made a popping sound against her teeth and laughed. "Come on, B, we'll figure things out before Monday and we'll try not to wig anyone out that doesn't know what happened while we do."

"I vote doing some serious digging of the personal files, letters, diaries even," Dawn said and Buffy looked over at her, not amused. "What? I know you always kept a diary, hello, I used to read it all the time. I know I probably kept some myself too, not really diaries but more like journals, right? And I'm sure that Diana has stuff written down because that's her job as a Watcher to write the life of her slayer."

"Dawn, stop," Faith said as Buffy rubbed her temples when her head began to pound. "Just give it some time before we start jumping into shit. It's bad enough we just went through this a week ago."

"But we need to find some answers."

"And we will," Faith snapped at her. "Just leave it alone, Dawn. We'll get this figured out once everything becomes much less of a mindfuck, all right?"

"But-"

"No," Faith cut her off. "Just _leave_ it alone. Just for now, okay?"

"I was going to ask you what you plan on telling Mom," Dawn muttered. "Obviously she'd notice something was different all these years, right?"

"Dawn," Buffy sighed as she looked over at her. "Please just leave it alone for now. It's too much."

"Well too bad, Buffy!" Dawn yelled. "Whether you want this or not, it's happening and we need to figure out _why_!"

"Because it was time," Danu said as she walked in the front door, casually closing it behind her. "It was time for it to happen. I should've told you when you killed the First's Champion that this would happen, that life would change and that you'd be taken back to the time where it all began all over again."

"Just with a helluva lot of changes, huh?" Faith asked and Danu nodded. "So, Danu, why don't you fill in all the missing gaps for us? That's the least you can do, isn't it?"

"It'll take time. Lots of time," she said quietly and motioned for Buffy, Faith, and Dawn to join her and the others in the living room. "Not everything will make sense, but I will try. It's been five years for me, but not for you. Any of you."

"Got plenty of time right now so let's get with the talking, huh?" Xander asked nervously and he looked around at the others. "Why do I get the feeling something funny is gonna happen here? Hey! No funny business! I don't think I can handle any more of this wonky time travel, missing memories, alternate universe stuff!"

"I can tell you," Danu started. "Or I can show you."

"Show us? Like take us back?" Faith asked and she nodded her head slowly. "What do you think, B? What have we got to lose?"

"Nothing?" Buffy shrugged and she turned to Danu and took a deep breath, knowing exactly what the others were feeling and thinking. "Show us."

_**The End**_


End file.
